Full text of "Sublette, Illinois, our bit of U.S.A. : Sublette Centennial, August 17-18, 1957"

1857 




VAESSEN BROTHERS 



Serving this community since 1926 




Our new Building 
Built in 1953 



Chevrolet Sales & Service 
Standard Oil Products 
Phiico TV & Appliances 







Phone 84 



Sublette 



mms. 



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Our first home built in 1926 




Phone 32 



V. O. BONNELL 

Since 1943 

Farm Equipment 

Oliver & New Idea 

Sales & Service 



Thank you for helping us celebrate our Centennial. 



Sublette 



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"Serving Sublette area Farmers since 1919" 

SUBLETTE FARMERS ELEVATOR CO. 

Dealers in 

Grain — Coal — Lumber — Building Material 

Feed — Fertilizer — Seeds — Tile — Fencing 

Grinding & Mixing 
L. J. Full, Manager 



Phone 61 



Sublette, Illinois 



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SAliK VI,! ! EV COLLEGE 
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^enlennua 

(Tune: America the Beautiful) 




I. 
Our forbears came from far away, a hundred years ago, 
For reasons of their very own, to Sublette, as we know. 
They toiled away, day after day, to make their homes appear; 
On fertile land, on timbered stand; their families they did rear. 

II. 
The Bettendorfs and Biebers, too, the Malachs, Haubs and Fluers, 
The Erbeses and Truckenbrods, the Hatches, Step'nitch peers. 
The Kuehnas, Hoffmans, and Burkardts, the Angier, Oester group. 
The Roemmichs then, with Glaser men, the Purdy, Bulfer troop. 

III. 
The Theisses and the Reises, too, the Dingeses and Fulls; 
The Rapps, the Vaessens, and the Longs, the Henkels, Beckers, Wolfs; 
The Lauers, Letls, Leffelmans, the Barton, Bansau band — 
All sawed and saved, all skimped and slaved, for us to hold the land. 

IV. 
With fortitude and fearlessness, with faith and trust in God, 
With honesty and humbleness, they hoed and plowed the sod. 
Oh, souls so strong, it won't be long, we'll lay our burdens down, 
To join the throng, in endless song, with founders of our town. 

V. 
To passersby, to those who fly, our village seems not much; 
But, though it's small, it's ours, our all; we're proud to call it such. 
Sublette, Sublette, our town, our town, God smile on thee we pray, 
And crown thy brow with blessings now, our bit of U. S. A. 

Mrs. Lillian A. Rapp 
Rev. Anthony J. Becker 




Reminiscing is always a popular pastime, especially when one has so many 
wonderful things about which to reminisce. We of Sublette Township have a 
great deal to turn over in our minds today, as we dig deeply into the pockets of 
our memories, and beyond into those of our ancestors, to relive within ourselves 
the events of the past century. 

It is most fitting, then, that once every hundred years the progeny of the 
pioneers take time out to do honor to its beloved forefathers: to tread once more 
those early trails, to see again the smoke rising from the stone chimneys of the 
log cabins, to walk anew behind the wooden plow and the slow oxen breaking 
the prairie sod, to sit beside the spinning wheel and watch the making of the gar- 
ments that covered the backs of our aficestors, to hear still ringing the axes that 
brought low the trees which till then knew Indians as the only human beings, 
to stand amazed as the homes and hotels, the stores and public houses, the schools 
and churches, by virtue of human sweat and sacrifice, rise into the sky and ad- 
vertise to the whole world that men are making their homes in a new land. 

The canvas-covered Conestogas reach the end of the trail, their occupants 
overjoyed to select this little part of the world to make it their own. Reenacted 
are all the vicissitudes of life — the bitter and the sweet, war and peace, death and 
life — from which no man can entirely escape, and by which all human events 
are measured. Their children and their children's children, and even to the third 
and fourth generations accept the choice of their parents. They are not only con- 
tent to remain where their ancestors settled, but they praise and revere the wis- 
dom of their selection. 

Today we honor the courage of our pioneers, their faith and trust in God, 
their steadfastness and industriousness, not only their aggressiveness but also their 
progressiveness, their tears and their laughter through poverty sometimes mingled 
with plenty, their determination to see their settlement reach the one-hundredth 
anniversary of its founding. 

A centennial celebration, however, means not only looking into the past. It 
means as well gazing into the future. It means taking the lessons of the past and 
applying them to all future times. It means accepting the "good old days" as 
only a beginning, only a bridge to greater future developments. It means not 
stopping, but always going forward and upward. 

It was with an abundance of personal satisfaction that I compiled this short 
history of Sublette Township and Village. For in so doing I have reviewed the 
story of my own German ancestors in America — and in Sublette. A sense of ver)' 
real gratitude has filled my heart toward these individuals. In such brevity as this, 
however, it is not possible to do justice to the history of our forefathers. Their 
greatest deeds have never been recorded by the hand of man; they have been 
interred with their memories in the cemeteries of our Township. But through the 
graciousness and generosity of many I have been able to bring to light a few of 
their glorious deeds. I have tried to present them to you in a worthwhile and 
readable fashion that thus recoided they might be passed on to all future genera- 
tions of Sublette. 




These — our forefathers and their feats 



are among my souvenirs. 

Fr. Anthony J. Becker 



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EARLY SUBLETTE FIRSTS 

permanent settler in township in 1837 — Sherman L. Hatch. 

frame house huilt by Phineas Rust in 1839. 

postoffice called Brookfield — kept in 1840 in Daniel Baird's house. 

church (Baptist) in 1843 — held in Jonathan Peterson's log house. 

school in Village in 1844. Mrs. Clute taught first summer school. 

township organization and adoption of name "Hanno" in 1849. 

blacksmith shop in 1850 built by man named McBirney. 

railroad depot and warehouse in Village in 1854. 

residence in Village in 1855 built by Daniel Cook. 

stores in 1855 owned by A. L. Wilder and Jesse Hale. 

saloon and hotel in 1856 built by Paul Lindstrom. 

drug store in 1856 bj' J. B. Barton. 

grain elevator in 1874 owned by Fred Oberhelman. 



Public Service Company 




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Its Location 

One of the richest and most prosperous little villages 
of Lee County, in Northern Illinois, located about eight 
miles southeast of Amboy and nine miles northwest of 
Mendota, is Sublette. It is situated in the center of an ex- 
ceptionally well-to-do and thrifty farming community, and 
has been celebrated over the years because of the great 
amount of grain shipped from its Township. 

Like many other early settlements around here, it was 
started before the middle of the nineteenth century. In the 
vicinity of Knox Grove settlers had founded homesteads in 
the late '30's, and log cabins broke the monotonous expanse 
of the prairie around the present little community in the 
early ■40's. 

As one more township carved out of Old Inlet, Sublette 
joins Lee Center to the North. Bureau County bounds it 
on the South, with La Salle County forming half of the 
eastern boundary. The Township is that part of Lee County, 
formally known as number 19, north of range 11, east of 
the fourth meridian p. m. Soon after the organization of 
Lee County in 1839, the west half of the Township, then 
known as Haiiuo, was put with what was called May Town- 
ship. This was known as the Bureau precinct, the polls 
being at the home of Daniel Baird. The east part of the 
township was incorporated with part of what is now 
Brooklyn, with voting at Knox Grove. The inhabitants of 
Bureau precinct were eager to have the boundaries of the 
town correspond with those of the precinct. The com- 
missioners decided that the law would not allow it. 



Sublette, as a Village, however, was not established until 
1854 when the Illinois Central Railroad came through, on 
the Main Line of Mid-America from South to North. It was 
made a station. The railroad, besides being a boon to the 
settlers in the way of freight, mail, and so forth, was held 
in considerable reverence by them, many never having seen 
steam cars or the roadbed on which they were drawn until 
the Illinois Central arrived. 

In 1909, Jacob Barton, the oldest living resident at that 
time, told this amusing incident; "At the time the railroad 
was being built, I was residing at the home of my father 
at Knox Grove. A neighbor of ours expected a hired girl 
to arrive over the new railroad from La Moille and asked if 
I wouldn't drive to the station and meet her. Although being 
naturally of a rather bashful disposition at that time, I 
agreed to and drove to the station. The depot was acrcss 
the track, and never having seen a railroad before, I thought 
it might be dangerous to cross over, so waited until another 
fellow, who also wanted to meet the train, drove up, and 
asked him if he thought it dangerous to cross the steel rails 
of the track. We finally decided it was not, and not without 
a few qualms drove across the rails." 
Its Name 

The original name of the Township was Hanno: it was 
officially organized and christened in 1849. When the rail- 
road came in 1854, the depot was named SOUBLETTE, 
and the Village was also plotted by this name, later being 
changed to Sublette. Down through the years many have 
thought it took its name from the circumstances that that 



"Best Wishes on your 100th Birthday" 

SUBLETTE CREAMERY 

Manufacturers of 

Bakers Cheese, Creamed Cottage, and Butter 

Charles Cislak & Son 



Phone 45 



Sublette, Illinois 



particular section of the railroad was "sublet" in part by 
its original contractor. This suggestion, however, should 
have no consideration, since this road was not sublet by the 
Illinois Central Railroad. 

Hence, it seems most likely that the name "Soublette" 
refers to a person rather than to an act. But as to who the 
individual this "Soublette" may have been, from whom the 
I.C.R.R. adopted the name for the new Village, there has 
been a great deal of speculation. 

One conjecture, confirmed by Clem Thompson of Free- 
port, is that the Village was named after a certain "Sub- 
lett" cited for bravery in the Black Hawk War. In casting 
about for uncommon names for their new stations, the Rail- 
road settled upon this name. Clem Thompson stated that 
this man is buried in a cemetery west of Freeport, at Kel- 
logg's Grove, in Stephenson County where a national 
monument has been erected to certain individuals killed 
in a skirmish in this Indian war. 

In an article appearing in The Meiniota Reporter, July 4, 
1940, John Barton not only confirms Thompson but becomes 
even more specific on the naming of Sublette. He stated that 
it was named after Thomas Sublett, who fought under Col. 
John Dement in Capt. Enoch Duncan's company against the 
Black Hawk Indians in the Battle of Kellogg's Grove on 
June 23, 1832, In this battle 23 white soldiers were killed 
and among them was Thomas Sublett. The following week, 
however, Ed Kreiter refuted this claim, but Mr. Barton 
followed it with more substantiating arguments the next 
issue. 

Another supposition is that it was named from one of 
the individuals at the time of high esteem in the employ of 
the Railroad. However that may be, it is quite certain that 
this "Soublette" was never a resident of the Township. 
There are various towns and villages throughout the United 
States by the same name. Especially of note are the ones of 
Kansas and Virginia, which are definitely derived from a 
family name. 

And almost as variant are the spellings of this family 
name: SUBLET, SUBLETT, SOUBLETTE, and SOBLET. 
Since we shall never know with absolute certainty the ori- 
gin of our Village's title, let us remain content in believing 
that its name has both an honorable and an heroic back- 
ground and has been deservedly applied to our home. 

Accordingly, by an act of legislature, approved February 
18, 1857, it was enacted that the name of Hanno Township, 
in the County of Lee, be changed to Sublette Township. 
Honorable John V. Eustace, who was then a representative 
in the legislature in Illinois, was instrumental in making 
this alteration since the petition for such had been sent to 
him in the winter of 1856-1857. 



State Historical Monument at Scene 
of Indian Jf ar at Kellogg's Grove 





Stone Marker at Tomb of Thomas 
Sublett Killed in Battle at Kellogg's 
Grove, June 23, 1832 

Its People 

In its very earliest days Sublette Township was inhabited 
by the sturdiest of settlers — all of solid Christian back- 
ground. And to this day the sons and daughters of those 
old pioneers remain just as strong, industrious, thrifty, in- 
telligent, and honorable as their forefathers who now lie 
buried in the Township's cemeteries. The first white men 
on the scene were of New England stock, but in 1844 with 
the coming of Jacob Betz, the Germans in great numbers 
migrated here directly from the Old World to take up the 
business of farming. Even today the nationality of the 
Township is predominantly German. 
Its Indians 

The only tribe of Indians ever known to the Sublette 
people were the Pottawatomies, a branch of the Algonquian 
Family, under the leadership of old Shabbona. They used 
to ride to and from the swamp near Walnut Grove along 
the Chicago-Princeton Road, and so, being seen infrequent- 
ly, they were never any real problem for our early settlers. 
Moreover, Shabbona with his followers was an annual visir 
tor for several years. He was a noble red man, and on ac- 
count of his friendship with the pioneers in the Black Hawk 
War in 1832, he was much endeared and respected by the 
white men. 

For further information on the Indians of this area con- 
sult The Biography of A Country Toun: U. S. A.. Chapter 
I. 

Its Early Market — Chicago 

In those days Chicago was the market. In common with 
all others of this section the settlers of Sublette Township 
were compelled to team there until the Illinois Central Rail- 
road came through. Bad roads, sloughs, swamps played 
havoc many times with their journeys. One of the remedies 
applied to prevent miring down was to place sacks of grain 
ahead of the wheels, drive over them, and after a long and 
tiresome effort, the wagon was gotten through, although 
much good grain was spoiled. Sometimes the driver had to 
unhitch his team and carry his load out of the slough on 
his back, and more than likely this process would have to 
be repeated several times during one trip. 

Often they would return home with a few trifles, the 
gross profits of an eight or ten-day trip. Groceries were 
generally all that could be brought back in exchange for 
grain. One of Reis' trading places was near the present site 



of the courthouse in Chicago. There for a long time was 
posted the sign "BEWARE! NO BOTTOM.' 

The pioneers would often go in companies of ten or more 
ox-teams, generally entering the city in the morning and 
coming out at night, thereby avoiding hotel bills. For a 
good load of wheat or dressed pork only a few dollars 
would be realized. Little or nothing was taken for expenses, 
and often a man would be gone a week or two without 
entering a house. 

Later Peru became the market center for the people of 
this part of Lee County. Travel was invited that way and 
greatly accelerated by the laying of a plank road for several 
miles. This road was regarded with the same feeling of 
superiority over the old one as settlers in a favored locality 
esteemed the railroad when it came along and superseded 
the plank road. It was called the toll road and for a con- 
siderable while made Peru famous. 

At other times the farmers went long distances to get 
their grist ground. For several years they went to Green's 
mill at Dayton, and to other points on the Fox River. 
Its Roads and Trails 

The "Old Chicago Road " from Princeton ran through 
Sublette Township about one half mile south of Bureau 
Creek, nearly parallel with it. A part of another old state 
road from La Salle to Grand Detour in the halcyon days of 
the latter may be traced through the Township to this very 
day, through sections 17 and 18. The old Black Hawk Trail 
made by the army of 1832 on its trips to and from Ottawa, 
and also to and from Fort Wilbourn — the old telegraph 
and state line between Dixon and Peru — entered the Town- 
ship at the northwest corner of section 30 and left near 
the center of the south line of the same section. 

The Township in the early days had so many state and 
county roads that you could not run amiss of one. Most of 
them died a natural death. The owners of the soil today 
would be astounded if such were now shown them as having 



"Welcome to Sublette" 

L P. BURKARDT 

Insurance Agency- 
Phone 87 — Sublette 



been laid out as proposed great highways of the country. 
Its Terrain 

The soil of Sublette Township is good for agricultural 
purposes, being a black mold, except on sections 6 and 7, 
which are mostly sandy. The surface is moderately undulat- 
ing, sufficient for drainage in nearly all parts. The Town- 
ship is well watered in either a wet season or a moderately 
dry one. In extremely dry seasons the inhabitants had to 
resort to the digging of wells. 

It, too, has its share of timberland. Nearly all of Knox 
Grove is in this Township along Bureau Creek on sections 
24 and 25. In the northwest corner is a strip of Palestine 
Grove, covering part of three sections, 5, 6, and 7. 
Its Wild Game 

For years after the settlers arrived wild birds were still 
plentiful in the Township. Such were prairie chickens, wild 
ducks, geese, cranes, and many others. Some are seen here 
to this day. Wolves, too, were in abundance; often they 
made the night hideous with their howls', and woe to the 
foul, the small pups, little sheep or pigs that became their 
prey. Snakes of various kinds were found in the prairieland, 
and the rattlesnake also filled a prominent place. In 1848 
Alpheus Crawford and companions killed a 400-pound bear 
north of Knox Grove. 

Its Cemeteries 

There are several burial places in the Township. The 
most important of these are the one at the Catholic Church 
and that on the land of N. and J. Peterson, known as the 
Peterson Cemetery. In both many of the original settlers 
are buried, one of whom in the latter is Jonathan Peterson. 
There is also the cemetery at the site of the Perkins Grove 
Catholic Church. Near Knox Grove is a small burial plot 
in which Daniel Pratt and others of that region are now 
reposing. Daniel Baird was interred on the farm which he 
last owned. Besides these there are a few other small burial 
places in the Township. 



GEO. A. VAESSEN 

Custom Corn Shelling 

and 

Spraying 

Phone 29 

Sublette, Illinois 



Hello, Sublette! 

We hope you have as much 
real fun and enjoyment from 
the observance of your 
Centennial as we in Mendota 
did in 1953 when we 
whooped it up for our 100th. 

Working together is 

good for a town . . . brings 

everybody closer together. 

Wayside Press • mendota 

Proud to have been the printers of this, 
your Sublette Centennial History. 



10 



Through the Vista of the Years 



1837 



SHERMAN L. HATCH reached Dixon; found his way to the home of Charles 
F. Ingals who had settled just o\er the line in Lee Center Township in 1936. 
During summer of 1837 S. L. Hatch settled on the southwest part of Sec. 7, 
taking possession of and completing a log house that had been partly built by 
previous claimants who had abandoned their claim. In the fall he returned to 
Vermont and came back here the next year with his new bride. 




Sherman Lorell Hatch at age of 92 ream. Pictured with his dog. Martin, 
before the old homestead in April. 1899 

JONATHAN PETERSON arrived in Ottawa in October, 1836. He had come 
from New Hampshire by Lake Erie to Detroit and then afoot to Ottawa. There 
he spent the winter of 1836-37, and in February started for Lee County. That 
summer he made a claim in the northwestern part of Sec. 4. After building a 
log cabin just over the line in Lee Center, he went back to his native state and 
was married, returning with his wife the following year. 



WILSON ROEMMICH 

Insurance Agency 

Low Cost Protection 

against 

Fire, Extended Coverage, 

Windstorm, Hail 



Phone 10200 
Sublette 



JOHN'S GENERAL STORE 

Groceries 

and 
Dry Goods 

West Brooklyn, III. 



1838 



THOMAS and WILLIAM FESSENDEN arrived m the fall with their families 
from New Hamsphire. Built a log house near the southeast corner of the 
northwest quarter of Sec. 7, and moved into it the following Dec. THESE ARE 
THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLERS OF THE TOWNSHIP. The fol- 
lowing year WILLIAM FESSENDEN built his own home on the SW corner 
of SW quarter of Sec. 6. JOSEPH KNOX moved with his family and settled 
on south side of eastern portion of grove bearing his name. This was on the 
Chicago and Galesburg Road, east of the center of the SE quarter of Sec. 2-i. 
SYLVANUS PETERSON, brother of JONATHAN, located on the SE quarter 
of Sec. 5. 



1839 



PHINEAS RUST built the FIRST frame house on Sec. 30. Never lived there 
himself but sold his claim to PHILO STANNARD and THOMAS ANGIER 
late in 1840. 

THOMAS TOURTILLOTT built a frame house 10 X 20 feet on Sec. 31. 
OBER W. BRYANT settled on the "Old Chicago Road" on Sec. 35. 
JOHN MORTON and R. E. GOODALL settled on Sec. 5 and 8. 
DANIEL BAIRD, locating in La Salle County in fall of 1836, moved to 
Township in 1839, building his home on the La Salle and Grand Detour Road. 
Lee County officially organized. 



Congratulations, 

Sublette, 

on your 100th Birthday 

SAM'S 
FURNITURE 

S. W. Sam, Proprietor 
Amboy, Illinois 



11 



1840 



Congratulations 

on your 100th 

Birthday 



LORACK 
CHEVROLET. INC. 

1505 West Washington St. 

Phone 2119 

Mendota, Illinois 



MORRISSEY'S BARBER 
SHOP 

HAIR CUT the way YOU 
want it 

Red 3190 

1 1 8 S. Van Buren St. 

Freeport, Illinois 



AMBOY FLOWER & 
GIFT SHOP 

"We telegraph flowers" 
Amboy, III. Phone 30 



WEST RROOKLYN 

FARMERS CO-OPERATIVE 

CO. 

Grain, Feeds, Cool, 

Gravel, Cement, 

Steel Posts, and 

Fences 

Phone 12 
West Brooklyn, Illinois 



FIRST POSTOFFICE in Township opened in Daniel Baird's house. Was 
called BROOKFIELD. Second postoffice was established in Knox Grove in 
1847 or 1848, and was named OVID. FIRST postmaster was SOLOMON 
PORTER. As soon as the Railroad came through, the Knox Grove postoffice 
was transferred to the Village. Here A. L. WILDER was the HRST post- 
master. Following him the early distributors of the mail were WILLIAM 
FULLER, MR. WARREN, AND JACOB BARTON, who had the job for 
sixteen years. JOHN BARTON also served a long time. 



1841 



O. BRYANT built a kiln of brick on the south side of Bureau Creek on NW 

quarter of Sec. 35. 



1842 



THOMAS S. ANGIER built a new frame house where the present Angier 
buildings stand and moved out of the old Rust purchase. 

GILBERT THOMPSON, later that year, erected a frame dwelling on Sec. 31. 
Winter of 1842-43 was a hard one. Snow fell in November and remained 
until next April, with only a light thaw in January. Winter of the Great 
Comet. Government surveyors subdivided the Township that winter. 



1843 



EPHRAIM RENIFF with his family settled on Sec. 33. 

HIRAM ANDERSON settled on same section NE quarter. His claim was 
"jumped" by a certain Mr. Bull of Dixon. Immediately the "Claim Society", 
made up of all settlers from miles around, about 65 in number, turned out and 
went to Dixon well-armed for action. Through the intervention of Sheriff 
Campbell an agreement was reached: Mr. Bull was turned over to the sheriff; 
contestants to the claim were to meet on a fixed date and the deed of the dis- 
puted land was to be returned to Anderson, who would have to pay the 
first cost of the land. This summary treatment of a "claim jumper" had the de- 
sired effect: the settlers in the region had no further trouble. 
STEPHEN RICHARDSON settled on Sec. 31 

ALPHEUS CRAWFORD bought a claim in Sec. 13 for $75, within the Knox 
Grove settlement, where LEVI CAMP had settled that year and DANIEL 
PRATT the year before. 

BAPTIST CHURCH ORGANIZED, in April, in Jonathan Peterson' s cabin. 
13 members were present: Mr. and Mrs. J. Peterson, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. J. 
Peterson, Jr., Sylvanus Peterson and wife, Nathaniel, Mary, and Hope Peter- 
son, Jonathan Eells, Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard Eells, and Mr. and Mrs. Joshua 
Rogers. When the log school was later built meetings were held there since 
it was centrally located. This was the mother organization for a large adjoin- 
ing region and was known as "First Baptist Church of Palestine Grove." Meet- 
ings were held alternately on opposite sides of the Grove for accommodation 
of those who lived widely apart. In November, 1858, the new church edifice 
was dedicated in the Village, on Main Street, at a cost of $5,000. The Rev. 
Henry Headley of La Moille was the first pastor. Previous to this, between 1854 
and 1858, the meetings were held in Benton's Hall, one half mile west of the 
site of the new church. 



1844 



JACOB VERTREES, JOHN SKINNER, HEZEKIAH and JOHN MCKUNE 

— all settlers about this time. 

PRESCOTT BARTLETT claimed the east half of Sec. 27 and built a cabin. 
SILAS D. RENIFF settled on Sec. 20, and R. P. HUBBARD on Sec. 17. 
(At this period — 1844 — the immigrants who came to this Township were 
to throw the character of settlers from New Englanders to Germans. And to 
this day Sublette bears the imprint of JACOB BETZ and all the succeeding 
German settlers who took up claims near the timber known as Perkins Grove, 
built their log houses and soon began breaking the virgin prairie). 
LAND SALES AT DIXON. Few settlers were prepared to pay for their lands. 
They formed themselves into societies for the protection of their homes until 
they could raise enough money to pay. Speculators from abroad were eager 
to invest in purchasing the land at the government's price and thereby get 
with it all the improvements erected on it. But they were deterred from com- 
ing, knowing discretion to be the better part of valor. The western land 



12 



speculators, however, were always at hand with ready cash to assist the settlers; 
this was a benefit to both parties. Many farms were secured through Mexican 
land warrants on the market soon after the Mexican War in 1848. Little land 
had been bought from the government before these warrants appeared, but 
within five years nearly all was sold except the land held by the I. C. R. R., 
■which was sold a short time later. Old settlers knew this year to be the wettest 
on record from the middle of May to the middle of August. 



1845 



SOLOMON PORTER bought out WILLIAM KNOX south of Knox Grove. 
SAMUEL and NATHANIEL ELLSWORTH settled on Sec. 25, DAVID 
MAXWELL on Sec. 35. GEORGE HOFFMAN on Sec. 33. 

MATTHIAS REIS came here to live. Spent the summer and fall with Betz. 
In wintertime split rails for fifty cents a day. Made of manly stuff, splendidly 
built, and erect, stout-hearted and afraid of nothing. New country furnished 
many surprises for him. One day while splitting rails, opposite him stood a 
deer. He lifted his axe and threw it, but the deer darted out of sight. After 
splitting several thousand rails, Betz gave him a raise of 10 cents a day. By 
the hardest kind of work and the exercise of close economy he saved enough 
money to buy 120 acres of land. In 1852 he married Catherine Theiss, daughter 
of Bartholomaeus. He built a home on the land and began the successful life 
that was his. 



1846 



BARTHOLOMAEUS THEISS made a claim to 120 acres in Sec. 29 and 32, 
where his sons, JOHN, JACOB and GOTTFRIED, subsequently lived. 
HENRY SCHWAB located on Sec. 13, JOHN W. SKINNER on Sec. 34. 
JOHN SPIELMAN settled on eastern part of Sec. 34, in Perkins Grove 
neighborhood; also a German family by the name of SMITH. 
ELEAZAR BARTON, father of ]. B. Barton, on May 22, settled on Sec. 25. 
WILLIAM A. MILLER and son-in-law GEORGE GHEER, on Sec. 35. Miller 
sold out to H. N. ERSKINE who later sold to P. H. KASPER. 
KNOX GROVE SETTLEMENT at this time covered a radius of two to three 
miles around the grove and numbered fourteen families. Not a house had been 
built on the Chicago and Galesburg Road between the settlement and Paw Paw 
Grove, a distance of twelve miles. There was no settlement to the South nearer 
than the Illinois River. To the Southeast, Troy Grove was situated, eight miles 
distant, the nearest. On the North, Inlet Grove was eight miles. On the North- 
east, Melugin Grove, ten miles, and Four-mile Grove, eight miles distant. 
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. First organized at house of LEVI 
CAMP at Knox Grove. Meetings held in private homes and at Knox Grove 
school until town hall was available in Village. 



1848 



CATHOLIC CHURCH ORGANIZED. In fall meetings were held at home of 
Bartholomaeus Theiss. Among the first families were the Steins, Katzenber- 
gers, Theisses, Beckers, Smiths, Lauers, Krebs, and others. Father N. Steele 
was the first priest. In 1853 a. church was built on land of A. Stein, known as 
the Perkins Grove Catholic Church. A rectory was also put up. This burned 




Perkins Grove Catholic Church 
— linoun as the Theiss Church — 
huilt under the inspiration of 
Barthoiotnaeus Theiss in 1853 



FRANK R. OTTENGHEIME 

Interior — Exterior 



Painting 

Decorating 

Paperhanging 

BRO-KADE 

325 N. Mason St. 
Amboy, Illinois 



Compliments of 

LAMOREUX'S STORE 

Groc.-Dry Goods-Boots 

Shoes 

Compton, Illinois 



CAKES 

For Weddings, Anniversaries, 
Birthdays 

Cokes made to order for 
any occasion 

MRS. HOBART ADAMS 

Phone 20120 Sublette 



Compliments of 

Your Friend, 

Frank Atkinson 



Compliments of 

HI-WAY TAP 

Mendoto, Illinois 



13 



Sublette since 1857. 
Funk's G since 1 885. 




YEAR AFTER YEAR 

LEO BULFER, JR. 

Phone 4-4500 Sublette 



Compliments of 



Walter C. Knack Co. 



Wholesale 

Cigars, Tobacco, 

Cigarettes, Confectionery, 

Novelties. 

Dixon, Illinois 



Salutations to 

Sublette — May the 

next century be even better. 

Livestock Hauling 

Home Insurance 

VERN WASSON 

Phone 1 6 Lee Center 



in 1869. Since that time the church did not have a regular priest. The Cath- 
olics built the first church in the Village in 1868. This church together with 
the ones at East Maytown and West Brooklyn were daughter churches of the 
Perkins Grove organization. 

WILLIAM COLEMAN settled on Sec. 7, and WILLIAM CLINK on Sec. 12. 
ALPHEUS CRAWFORD and others killed a black bear, weighing 400 pounds, 
north of Knox Grove. 

MEXICAN WAR over in 1848; land warrants located here. Many farms were 
secured by them as they could be purchased on time or with other property 
besides money. Men that could purchase land at $1.25 per acre in cash would 
manage to get good farms by using these land warrants. Up to this time very 
little land had been purchased by the government in this Township. Five years 
afterwards it was all entered that the I. C. R. R. did not take by virtue of their 
grant. The whole Township was put under cultivation except the groves and 
a good portion of them were fenced for pastures. 



1849 



TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION was adopted and officially christened 

HANNO, Lee County being divided into townships. 

CARL BUETTNER bought part of Sec. 35. POHLS settled on Sec. 36, and 

ANDREW HENKEL on Sec. 26. 

WILLIAM and THOMAS IRELAND, JACOB SCHNECK, JACOB WOLF 

and father NICHOLAS, JACOB EICH, and ANDREW KATZENBERGER 

arrived. 



1850 



FIRST TOWN MEETING held on second Tuesday of April. Ordinances: 
stock was prohibited from running at large from Nov. 15 to April 1. Two 
pounds also established. Following officers were elected: DANIEL BAIRD, 
supervisor; HENRY PORTER, clerk; WHITLOCK T. PORTER, assessor; 
SILAS D. RENIFF, collector; DANIEL PRATT, overseer of poor; HIRAM 
ANDERSON and W. H. HAMBLIN, highway commissioners; DANIEL 
AVERY and THOMAS S. ANGIER, constables; ALPHEUS CRAWFORD 
and ANDREW BERTHOLD, justices of the peace. The number here voting 
is not given, but two years later 47 votes were cast. The meetings were held in 
private residences: 1853— DANIEL PRATT'S, Knox Grove; 1854, DANIEL 
WILCOX'S; 1855— DAVID MAXWELL'S, at which meeting $1000 was voted 
for the erection of a town house in the Village. 



1851 

August 19: rain began to fall and continued unceasingly for three days and 
nights. Frenzied clouds ablaze with lightning led the superstitious to fear the 
Day of Judgment had come. Nobody left his home. Provisions ran out. John 
Britton's invitation "to help yourself to my potato patch" was accepted. Crops 
were destroyed. Creeks were swollen inordinately and became roaring torrents. 
Fields were submerged for miles around. 

1852 

April 6: at the town meeting 48 votes were cast in the Village. 




One of first iron horses to steam through Sublette 



14 



1854 



In summer a railroad depot and warehouse were erected. I. C. R. R. was com- 
ing from the South and first steamer passed through in the fall. 
FIRST POSTOFFICE in Village with A. L. WILDER as postmaster. 



1855 



Village FIRST platted as SOUBLETTE or TOV(^ OF SOUBLETT, May 8, 

on the land of the I. C. R. R. 

DANIEL COOK finished construction of FIRST residence in Village. 

A. L. WILDER and JESSE HALE built FIRST stores. 

FRANK BARTLETT, FIRST Village carpenter, and JAMES PALMER, FIRST 

blacksmith. 



1856 



PAUL LINDSTROM constructed FIRST saloon and hotel. 



PAUL MOSSHOLDER 

DeKalb Hybrids 
Corn & Chicks 

Phone SUBLETTE 
LaMoille, Illinois 



POWERS GROCERY 

Richelieu 
fancy groceries & meats 

Amboy, Illinois 




The Lindstrom 

Hotel — long-time 

stand of Frank 

Let I (441 E. Front 

St.} — present 

home of Mrs. 

Max Letl. Joe, 

and Boots 



SPITZ PLUMBING & 
HEATING 

K. M. Spitz, Prop. 

Conco & Timken Oil & Gas 

Kohler-American- 
Standard-Eljer 

Phone 222 Amboy, III. 



J. B. BARTON opened FIRST drug store. 




The J. B. Barton Hharmary if 'f/i Mr. (silting} and Mrs. J. B. r--'on on the 
porch. The Home of Barton's "Golden Ointment" and "Rhubarb Cordial" 



FIRST TOWN HOUSE erected, substantially built, size 24 X 36 feet, on tax 
money of SIOOO.OO, voted upon at meeting of April 3, 1855. 
FRANK BARTLETT erected residence, later used for Catholic parsonage. 
HORATIO ERSKINE put up new home. DR. SMITH moved into his resi- 
dence. 

"UNCLE ALVA" HALE, as well as families of JAMES COLVIN and ROB- 
ERT ASH, came to Village. 



Congratulations 

E1CHLER BROS. Inc. 

Dixon — Amboy 



THE CAVE 

John & Rosalie Scibetta 

Wines & Liquors 

We specialize in 
Ravioli & Spaghetti 



Phone 2171 



Compton 



SCHIMMER 
PONTIAC CO. 

1503 W. Washington St. 

Mendota, Illinois 

Phone 7916 



15 



1857 



ERNEST SUTTON 

General 
Trucking 

Phone 55 
Sublette, Illinois 



Congratulations, 
Sublette! 

SUBLETTE CUB-LETS 
Girls' Softball Team 

"Watch the Cub-Lets in 

the Class B State 

Tournament. " 



January 24: Petition with bill for act to change name of Hanno Township in 
County of Lee to Sublette. 

February 18: act of legislature approved to change the name of Hanno Town- 
ship to Sublette Township. Township was first called HANNO from "Hanau". 
a city on the Rhine above Frankfort, in Nassau, Prussia. It had been so 
named in 1849 by James Tourtillott. 



^ ^/^^ i:^ZCy/y dj/lo/^ /'^^ 

£.^t^Aj ^^ ^/.^u^-n-Oj^ ^Ait^cy^ O^t^ut^^jycJ) 




y cM^//^ a^A^^ ^^^^.^ 




Photostatic Copy of Original Document showing transfer of title of 
Toitnship from Hanno to Sublette 



Congratulations, 
Sublette 

MILLER MUSIC STORE 

103 Peoria Ave. 

Dial 2-7861 

Dixon, Illinois 

Chas. K. Hale, Owner 

"Every inch a music store" 



JACOB BARTON laid in his stock of drugs, hauling them by wagon from 
Chicago. A. L. WILDER started a general merchandise store; HUGH CARR 
opened a boot and shoe store. 



1858 



At a meeting $150.00 were appropriated to bridge Bureau Creek at the "Old 
Army Trail." 

"Abraham Lincoln never spoke in Sublette. He passed through the village 
more than once, the last time, as I suppose, being just before and just after his 
debate with Douglas at Freeport in August, 1858; for Lincoln made no cam- 
paign speeches in I860. Sublette lay midway between Ottawa, where the first 
joint debate occurred, and Freeport where the second debate was held, and 
both men filled other appointments, three or four in number, between the two. 
On Friday morning, August 27, 1858, Lincoln rode north from Mendota to 
Freeport on the Illinois Central and so passed through Sublette. The train 
carried extra cars from Amboy to Dixon, and had twelve cars when it reached 
Freeport; but in Mendota and Sublette it was the regular morning train. There 
was no demonstration as the train passed through our village, nor yet the fol- 
lowing day as Lincoln returned on his way to La Salle. They merely saw him 
through the car windows. If this had occurred during my boyhood, I probably 

16 



should not have been permitted to go as far as either Ottawa or Freeport to 
attend the debates; no one then understood how famous they were to be- 
come. But I certainly would not have been content with a car-window look at 
Lincoln. I should have boarded the train, as I was accustomed to do, and 
ridden to the next station and walked back. If I had done this as Lincoln was 
going north, I should have been an eavesdropper at the conference between 
Lincoln and his political associates concerning the questions which he pro- 
posed to propound to Douglas, committing that statesman to 'Freeport heresy'. 
For that was what was happening on the train after it pulled out of Mendota 
that morning. As the train was passing through Sublette, Lincoln was reading 
questions whose answer helped Douglas to win the senatorship, but also con- 
tributed to his loss of the presidency two years later. But I was not there, and 
did not hear the discussion." 

(The Autobiography of 'William E. Barton) 



1860 



SUBLETTE LODGE NO. 349, A. F. & A. M. held its FIRST meeting on Jan. 
31. The following were present: Thomas S. Angier, W. D. Tourtillott, Jacob 
D. Tourtillott, James Tourtillott, Daniel Barton, B. F. Berkley, and Prescott 
Bartlett. Their charter was issued in October. Originally the meetings were 
held in the rear of the second story of Jesse Hale's store, later to become the 
A. J. Lauer and Son Implement and Hardware. In 1870 the members put up a 
new building at a cost of $2500, in which the first meeting was Aug. 16, 1870. 
Lower part of building was rented for business purposes. 



1861 



1861-1865: CIVIL WAR DAYS: Sublette has a record of which her people 
can justly be proud. On the basis of the population of this early period it 
seems almost incredible that so many men should have entered the service 
in the space of four and one half years. In all there were 204, and 14 of these 
were veterans. Sublette sent fathers and sons into the struggle between the 
States until her manpower was all but exhausted. At the end of the 'War, with 
the Township short of help, a great number of men had to be hired from out- 
side to do the farm work. 



1864 



SOCIETY OF THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERI- 
CA erected a building on the NE quarter of Sec. 35, north of the SW corner, 
at a cost of $2000. This is a branch of the same denomination at Perkins Grove, 
Bureau County. Services were all in German. Preachers who officiated were 
Reverends Woehr and Fry. The Sabbath school in connection with the church 
had an average membership of about 55. J. C. Spielman was the superintend- 
ent. The trustees were Messrs. Barth, Richert, and Spielman. Later this became 
the German Lutheran Church in the Village. 



1871 



FIRST METHODIST CHURCH built in the Village and dedicated in 1871. 
Originally they had been organized at the home of Levi Camp in Knox Grove 
within the limits of the Township. The charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. 
Daniel Pratt, Mr. and Mrs. John Skinner, Mr. and Mrs. Vertrees, Joseph, 
Miriam, and Sarah; Mrs. Levi Ellsworth, Mrs. John Clink, and Mr. and Mrs. 
Joseph Knox and family. Early preachers were: F. F. Farmiloe, Wm. A. Cross. 
Philo Gorton, T. C. Young, E. Brown, John H. Gentry, E. Lewis, Mrs. Joel 
Cook, and Stratira Crawford. Services continued seven or eight years, when 
the society was disbanded and the property sold. The building is now the 
residence of Toots Koehler. Since this time Sublette has been without a Meth- 
odist Church. 

April 20: CONGREGATIONALIST CHURCH was organized. Rev. E. Baker 
was the first pastor. Officers of the church were: John Methven and Elias 
Purdy, Deacons; Levi Mead, Clerk; Rus^el M. Brown, Treasurer. There were 
about thirty charter members: Mr. and Mrs. John Methven, Mrs. Walter 
Morse, Mrs. Jane Eells, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Purdy, Russel M. Brown and 
family, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, Mr. and Mrs. 
Levi Mead. A few weeks after the founding a church was started in the Vil- 
lage at a cost of about $5000. This was on the site of the Township Garage. 
The first Sunday school lesson was supervised by Russel Brown, 

17 



L. M. DINGES 

General Merchandise 
Phone 99 Sublette 



CLETUS F. HENKEL 

CARGILL 

Hybrid Corn 

Phone 58 Sublette 



MICHEL'S 
BARBER SHOP 

West Brooklyn & Compton 
Open Friday & Saturday 
Evenings in West Brooklyn 

RAY'S GARAGE 

General Overhauling 

Transmission Service 

a Specialty 

Phone 62 
West Brooklyn, III. 




Congregational Church, built in 
Village in 1871, burned on March 27, 
1919. On May 4 of same year land 
was sold at public auction 



1874 



Congratulations, 
Sublette 

BILLINGS 
ELECTRIC SERVICE 

Electrical Wiring 

and 

Appliance Repair 

Tel. 92 Sublette 



Congrotulations, 
Sublette, on your 
100th Anniversary 

BRUCE'S TRADING POST 

Billiards & Sporting 

Goods 

Amboy, Illinois 



BRUCKER'S 
STANDARD SERVICE 

Junction Rts. 51 & 30 

24 Hr. Service 

Phone 2320 Compton 



VINCENT'S 

Sales & Farm Service 

Fertilizers 

of all kinds 

and 

Bulk Spreading 

Gene Vincent 
Tel. 88300 Sublette 



FIRST ELEVATOR in the Village built by Fred Oberhelman. It was enlarged 
m 1898 by an addition much larger than the original structure. Its capacity 
then reached 42,000 bushels. F. Oberhelman and his brother conducted the 
business. A second elevator was put up in 1900 by J. H. Ebersole who was the 
first operator. Its capacity was about 20,000 bushels. 



1877 



March 4: Inauguration of new president, Rutherford B. Hayes: "Sublette had 
no cannon, but it could make a noise like a cannon, using two anvils from the 
blacksmith shop. At that time Christ Brown was the blacksmith. In the bottom 
of each anvil was a hole nearly an inch square and two inches deep. When 
that was filled with powder and another anvil was placed above it and the 
powder set off, it made a loud report. Sublette collected a gallon of powder 
in order to fire as many guns as the electoral votes that had been counted for 
Hayes. I was the loader, and had charge of the bottle containing the whole 
gallon of powder. After we had fired I forgot how many times, I had poured 
powder into the hole as usual, and set a bottle down beside the nether anvil, 
and my face was not more than a foot above it, the powder ignited, presumably 
from a shred of pasteboard from the previous explosion. I received the blast 
in my face. For two things I am devoutly thankful: first, that the bottle of 
powder did not explode, and secondly that I winked at the instant of the 
explosion. I think that the human eye is swifter than a gunpowder flash, for 
my eyelids were burned and my eyes escaped. For the next two hours I en- 
dured the most exquisite agony, and for the next two weeks I wore the mask 
of a heavy scab over my face. I could eat a very thin slice of bread or meat 
inserted into my mouth on a table knife, and somehow I managed to drink. 
Father required me to endure the pain and then the intolerable itching with- 
out scratching my face, so the scab came off and left no scar. In those days 
when the town was full of Civil War veterans drawing their rewards for their 
patriotism out of the Government Treasury, I used to say that I, too, was en- 
titled to a pension, for I had been wounded in the service of my country, and 
I had received, what every veteran was required to produce, an honorable dis- 
charge." 

(The Autobiography of William E. Barton) 

"I wish I could tell who it was with whom I made hay in the summer of 
1877. In the late winter or early spring of that year there came to Sublette a 
tall Missourian of about thirty-five who claimed to be an herb-doctor, and who 
gave the name of Templeton. He and his wife, a woman of about twenty, lived 
through that summer and fall in a rather poor cottage near "Grandpa Hale's' 
tavern. He had not come to town to practice medicine, but to recover from 
malaria. As spring advanced, he hired out to farmers for rather light work, 
and by haying-time was well enough to work in the hay-field. My uncle John 
Methven hired him. I went to Uncle John's and helped him and his not quite 
adopted son, Wallace Bryson, in haying. Templeton did not sleep at the 
farm but walked back and forth morning and night. He used large words, not 
always correctly. Wallace and I were decent boys, but had curiosity, and we 
asked Templeton medical questions some of them relating to sex. He answered 
us, correctly, and decently enough. He used no profane or vulgar language. 
As I remember our discussions they were more theological than medical. Doc- 
tor Templeton was a very orthodox Fundamentalist, and Wallace and I were 
more liberal. 

"As time went on, Templeton's presence in the village gave rise to more 
and more gossip. He had no business and his wife's reticence was thought to 
be more and more suspicious. Her washing, as it hung on the backyard line, 
was declared to be largely that of bandages such as might have been used on a 
body wound. She was said to have admitted that Doctor Templeton had re- 
ceived an injury which she had to dress. 

"Once I saw him angry. I had gone from the field to the house for a 
jug of water and did not return very promptly. He was so hot he dared not 
drink, but took a mouthful of water, rinsed his parched throat and spat the 
water out. A little later he drank. But his anger to my delay was terrible. I 
already believed him to be a desperado, and his look was murderous. 

"Rumors grew more and more definite that he was Frank James, wounded 
at Northheld at the bank-robbery, and living in Sublette, until he and Jesse 
could start on another raid. One night Templeton and his wife disappeared. 

"When I obtained Robertus Love's Rise and Fall of Jesse James, in 1926, 
and saw the portrait of Frank James, and read the story of the Northfield rob- 
bery, I felt sure that our suspicions were correct. I wrote to Mrs. James asking 



18 



whether she and her husband did spend any time in Northern Illinois after 
the Northfield affair, and she replied that in the summer of 1877, she and her 
husband were in Nashville. Her letter was not quite a denial. I wonder if I 
knew Frank James. If not, whom did I know and work with in the hay-field 
that summer.''" 

(The Autobiography of William E. Barton) 



1878 



September 20: THE LEE COUNTY GUARDS were mustered into the military 
service of the State by Maj. W. G. Coulter, with a membership of sixty-one 
men, which augmented till, at its annual inspection and muster, March 31, 

1879, it numbered ninety-eight, and^l03 at the annual inspection on March 31, 

1880, thirty-four more than any other infantry company in the State of Illi- 
nois. This is a distinctly Sublette organization, designated as Co. F, 12th In- 
fantry. 

The Guards have been the recipients of many invitations to participate 
in public demonstrations and ceremonies, among which were decoration of 
soldiers' graves by the citizens of Mendota, May 30, 1879, the Guards being 
escort for procession, and were handsomely entertained by the city. 

They encamped with the 3rd Reg. I.N.G. at Freeport, July 3, 4, and 5, 
1879, being entertained by the public. They encamped four days with the 1st 
Brig. I. N. G. in September, 1879, at South Park, Chicago, at which time 
eighty-one men reported for duty. On November 5, at a reception tendered 
General Grant by the citizens of Mendota, the Guards had the honor of being 
the first military company to receive and escort the General in Illinois after 
his tour around the world. On July 4, 1880, at a celebration m Amboy, they 
escorted the procession and were guests of the city. Having accepted an invi- 
tation to attend the twenty-hfth annual fair of the northwest, held at Sterling, 
September 14, 15, 16, and 17, the company was entertained with princely 
hospitality by the management of the association. At this time it escorted Gen- 
eral Grant and other gentlemen of national reputation, among whom were 
Governor Cullom and General Logan. On account of their discipline and mili- 
tary precision strangers mistook the Guards for soldiers from the regular army. 
The 1881 commissioned officers were Charles H. Ingals, Captain; William 
Dexter, First Lieutenant; Philip H. Schwab, Second Lieutenant. A large pro- 
portion of non-commissioned officers and a number of privates were soldiers 
in the Civil War. The rank and file, by their persistent and determined effort 
to excel, have succeeded in attaining proficiency and excellence in military 
discipline and tactics for which they have, without an exception, received com- 
mendation and profuse compliments from the assistant superintendent gen- 
eral whenever paraded for inspection, and were rated as one of the best com- 
panies of the Illinois National Guard. 

Its property is valued at $4,000, secured without outside assistance (ex- 
cept about $100). It consists of an iron-roofed armory, which contains drill- 
room, gun-room, officers' quarters, dining-room, and kitchen, and is one of 
the best in Illinois. The aitnory is 40 X 96 feet, one and two stories high. 
They have many musical instruments, colors, munitions, and so forth. 

The organization is a grand success, and an honor to itself, the locality 
in which it exists, and the county it represents. 



Compliments of 

MAX r. BURLEY 

Compton, Illinois 



Compliments of 

AL'S DINER 

Compton, Illinois 



Congratulations! 

WIDMER & SONS 

Buick & Olds 
Mendota, Illinois 



NEIS' REXALL 
DRUG STORE 



Amboy, Illinois 



■:^... 








19 



1890 



Congratulations to 
SUBLETTE on its 
100th Birthday! 

GEO. E. SETCHELL 

Livestock Dealer 
Sublette, Illinois 



If you want a cold one, 
stop at 

BUNK & GEN'S 



West Brooklyn 
Phone 26 



Congratulations to 
a fine community, 

SUBLETTE! 

DICKINSON 

Hdwe. Company 

Maytag 
Home Appliances 

Phone 28 
Amboy, III. 



June 20: "This storm cut a swath through Lee County, Friday, June 20. The 
first account of this frightful visitation is from a point twelve to fifteen miles, 
a little south and west from the Village of Sublette, at what is known as Black- 
burn Herd, where a number of cattle were killed; from there it took an easter- 
ly direction, a little north in a zig-zag course, from twenty to forty rods wide, 
mowing everything before it. 

"Among the buildings destroyed are those of William Shaw, Daniel 
Haley, William Reeves, William R. Long, and Chas. L. Hatch, leading farm- 
ers in that section west of the Illinois Central track. No fatalities reported 
from that part. 

"The tempest crossed the Illinois Central at Sublette, tearing down and 
destroying eight or ten buildings on the outskirts of that village. One old 
lady, Mrs. Buettner, was killed and fifteen to twenty people were more or 
less injured. 

"From here it took a course a little north of east. Some buildings for 
miles south of West Brooklyn were crushed into kindling wood," (Lee County 
Times, Paw Paw, June 27, 1890) 

An additional note; all but one building were demolished on the Hatch 
farm. 

June 20: "Cyclone hit Sublette at 4:00 p. m., June 20. It completely demolished 
10 houses in the Village as well as damaging others and also doing much 
damage to surrounding farms. Damage in Village estimated at $8,073. At the 
writing of June 21, it was thought a Mrs. Buettner and 2 children were hurt 
fatally." (The Mendota Reporter) 



1892 



December 27: it was brought to a vote to see if the citizens should organize 
Sublette as a village. 57 votes were for it, and 4 votes against. Hence, the Vil- 
lage was incorporated under the general laws of Illinois. The population of 
the Village and the Township in 1890 was 1000. 



1893 



January 24: first election of village officers was held. Results: President: A. 
J. Lauer; Village Clerk: J. W. Oberhelman; Trustees: Joseph Bettendorf, 
George Bieber, George J. Earth, Peter Betz, Irving Crawford, Fred Oberhel- 



1898 



May 20: "Evidence of the tornado s power was traced from a point west of 
Sublette to the home of widow Peterson, in Willow Creek, and the direction 
was generally northeast, though at times it bore almost directly east. There is 
some difference of opinions, as to point where the storm crossed the C. B. & 
Q. tracks, but it was between Amboy and Shaws. From there it came eastward 
for several miles until near West Brooklyn, where it veered to the northeast. 

"The damage reported up to this time will be described, commencing 
at Sublette', a house belonging to a farmer named Hall was destroyed. Mrs. 
Hall is said to be seriously injured. After leaving that vicinity, nothing of 
importance occurred until the tornado struck the Atkinson homestead, one 
mile west of the Old Berg. Mr. Lauer lives there. The barn and house are said 
to have been totally demolished, and Mr. Lauer was considerably injured 
though not fatally . . . Following the path of the storm it would be found that 
it traveled between thirty and thirty-five miles in this county. This storm is re- 
ported to have killed two women at Ohio, a town a few miles southwest of 
Sublette." (Lee County Times, Paw Paw, May 20, 1898) 

Henry Bansau was a witness to this tornado. 



1900 



"A telephone system was built in Mendota and Sublette, which operated for 
several years. There was no switchboard at either end, all subscribers being on 
the one line, getting into contact with one another by signal rings. Likewise, 
every subscriber could, by merely lifting his receiver, listen in on all traffic 
in the system — an exceptionally chummy arrangement. In October, 1900, 
this company, which was a partnership affair, assigned its interests to North- 
ern Illinois Telephone Company, which through various developments is in 
direct line of descent with the present company. The owners of the old com- 



20 



pany at the turn of the century were Charles E. Cook, C. Henning, Anton F. 
Lauer, A. J. Lauer, Joseph Schwarz, T. W. Lauer, J. C. Stough, P. H. Maus, 
P. M. Maus, W. B. Garrett and Phillip Mueller." (Taken from Magnificent 
Whistle Stop) 

Population of Sublette Township is 1004, of which 306 are in the Village. 
HENKEL ELEVATOR: the point where the Illinois Central crosses the south 
line of Section 25 is a station. Here a single elevator is doing a flourishing 
business in buying the grain from the vicinity and storing it. 



1904 



SUBLETTE EXCHANGE BANK: Here the banking interests of the com- 
munity are looked after with a capital of $12,500 and deposits amounting to 
$102,946, at a given date this year. The officers are; George F. Malach, presi- 
dent; John P. Malach, vice-president; Anton H. Lauer, cashier. 



1909 



"The character of a small town can be nearly always judged by its 
churches. Sublette bears the distinction of having the most costly church of 
any village its size in Northern Illinois. This church is a Roman Catholic edi- 
fice, which was built at a cost of nearly $60,000, all but $6,000 of the amount 
being clear of debt. The structure is of pressed brick and the architecture is 
appropriate as well as artistic. An exceptionally tall spire that can be seen 
for miles arises from the large dome. Besides being beautiful to the eye with- 
out, the interior decorations are very costly, the inside decorations alone cost- 
ing over $8,000. The stained glass windows also demand the visitor's atten- 
tion as they are imported from Germany and of a value exceeding $4,000. 
Father Hagen is the present priest, and the church is in a very prosperous 
condition and is pointed to with pride by every citizen of the village. 




Congratulations from 

Hhc iVmboir Ncfos 

"Lee County's Largest 
and Liveliest Weekly" 

Published every 
Thursday 
ot Amboy 



On a drive about the }'iUage are: Joseph Bettendorf, Father Hagen, (in 
the back seat) Paul Stephenitch, Lucy Burkartsmeier (Mrs. Jack Becker), Mrs. 
Paul Stephenitch, about 1910 



BRADY'S QUALITY 
MARKET 

Wm. J. Brady 

The "Old Reliable" served 
Amboy all his life — The 
"Young Reliable" in Dad's 
old stand, is here to serve 
you now. 



Phone 13 



Amboy 



Congratulations 
Sublette 

TORRI GRAIN CO. 

Grain-Feed-Seed 



"One of the largest general stores in Lee County is the store of George 
Lauer, who has a great stock of merchandise including complete lines of dry 
goods, groceries, hats, boots, shoes, and crockery. Mr. Lauer is a wholehearted 
man of wide acquaintance and holds his large patronage by his pleasant per- 
sonality and straightforward business methods. 

"Another double store which enjoys a lucrative trade from far and wide 
is that of P. F. Kuehna, who carries everything that is needed in the line of 
dry goods, groceries, crockery and shoes. Mr. Kuehna is a jovial fellow who 
knows his patrons and is always willing to serve them in any way in his power. 



Phone 2301 
Compton, Illinois 



SUTTON'S 
SPREADING SERVICE 

Limestone 
Phosphate 
Fertilizer 
Grain 



Tel. 31 



Sublette 



OTTO KRETSCHMER 

General Carpenter 

New Building 

Repairing 

Remodeling 



"Sublette is noted for the sociable friendliness of its inhabitants and the 
farmers living near. That it is rather a convivial town is evident from the fact 
that it supports four buffets. Two of these, Frank Letl's and Jacob Blei's, have 
been in existence for many years; Charles Letl's and Jacob Wahl's are of re- 
cent origin. Frank Letl runs a barber shop in connection with his saloon, which 
was originally the old Lindstrom Hotel. 

"Sublette boasts of two hardware stores. The corner store is owned by 
Paul A. Stephenitch and a complete line of shelf and heavy hardware, as well 
as farm implements, is carried. G. M. Leffelman is the proprietor of the other 
store and for the past four years has handled everything needed in the hard- 
ware line and a goodly line of paints and oils with harness and leather goods 
in addition. A. J. Lauer has a part of the same building and deals in farm 
implements, as well as in making a specialty of plumbing. 




Posing for their pictures in front of the .4. J. Lniier's Hardware Store: the 
first man from the left unidentified, then frank Myers, George Leffelman, and 
A. J. Lauer, ouner 



Sublette, Illinois 



MINI'S TAP 

Soda Fountain 

Ice Cream 

Package Goods 

Chicken 

on 

Saturday Nights 

Hot Sandwiches Daily 
Sublette, III. 



"A popular place to spend an evening is the pool room of Henry Michel. 
In connection with the pool room, Mr. Michel manufactures cigars and op- 
erates a chair which is always in readiness for those in need of a haircut or 
shave. 

"One of the most progressive of the business men is J. D. Bansau who 
owns the only meat market in the village. Last Wednesday forenoon he had 
the misfortune to be burned out, but not to be daunted, he continued busi- 
ness by moving next door. He is now nicely located and is ready to furnish 
the choicest cuts at a reasonable price. 




All set for bis morning's route — John Bansau, his team and meat iiagon 
22 



"The oldest business in Sublette conducted under one management is 
the boot, shoe, and men's furnishing store owned by H. Bansau. This business 
was founded in 1870 by Mr. Bansau and many thousand dollars' worth of 
parcels have been carried from this store in the past forty years. 

"Two of the investments which show natural wealth and thrift around 
Sublette are its elevators, to which grain is hauled from many miles around. 
The Bieber Brothers Grain and Lumber Company does an extensive business 
in lumber, coal, and building materials as well as buying and selling a great 
amount of grain. Bieber Brothers assumed control of the business in the sum- 
mer of 1895, purchasing it from Oberhelman and Brother who had conducted 
the business for over 33 years prior to that time. 

"The other elevator is owned and managed by J. "W. Bettendorf who 
also deals in coal. Mr. Bettendorf purchased the elevator from John Ebersole 
along about Jan. 1, 1895, and has steadily built up the business alone. 

"Nearly every community has a physician, but there are few so fortunate 
as Sublette in having a man with the ability of Dr. B. H. Angear, who located 
in this "Village after a two years' practice in Chicago. He is a graduate of the 
Illinois Medical College of Chicago of the class of 1900, and his work in 
school was such that he passed the state medical examination two years before 
his graduation. His office, which is located on the second floor of the Lauer 
building is modern in every particular, the equipment including an X-ray 
machine, an electrical vibrator, wall plate, and also an electrical nebulizer, for 
the treatment of the nose and throat. To assist him in keeping a record of the 
many cases included in his large practice, which extends in every direction 
from Sublette, he uses a very complete card system. 

"John Stilz keeps a hotel for the accommodation of the traveling public, 
and lucky is the man who has a chance to enjoy the generous home-cooked 
viands after weeks of common hotel and restaurant cooking. 

"The only livery stable in the "Village is owned by William Koehler, who 
is at all times ready to accommodate local as well as transient patronage. 

"There are two blacksmith shops in Sublette, A. A. Kelchner's and S. 
N. Paige's, where, in addition to expert horseshoeing, repair work of all kinds 
is quickly done. 

"In cities of ten thousand inhabitants or under, the surrounding country 
and the character of the farmer has much to do with the business and general 
well-being of the town. Sublette is particularly fortunate in this respect. The 
township has been known for years as one of the richest in Lee County. Not 
only is the land fertile and well drained but it is farmed to the best advantage. 
Any stranger driving out on any of the rural routes cannot help but notice 
the large, well-filled barns, the modern, neatly painted residences, well cared 
for fields and the almost perfect condition of the fences. The two large elevators 
of the "Village are standing evidences of the bumper crops in this section the 
past decade. The past season much of the corn averaged 50 to 80 bushels per 
acre, and the oats ranked proportionately. Not only are the farmers successful 
in their chosen work in this community, but they have the welfare of the 
"Village at heart, take pride in the merchandise of Sublette merchants. Thus 
the "Village and the surrounding country work in harmony, enabling the Town- 
ship to have the advantage of good schools, good churches, and good roads 
■which many other townships of the same population cannot afford or enjoy." 
(Supplement of The Amboy News, December 24, 1909) 



1910 



April 15: Dr. Angear is having a $5,000 hospital erected next to his home. 
Work on same commenced Monday by several men in digging and scraping. 
The building no doubt will improve Sublette considerably and the hospital 
will be one the town can well feel proud of. 

September 16: Angear Sanitarium is now nearly completed. Plumbers are 
working day and night to finish putting in heating plant. 
September 30: Messrs. Ben Full, Chas. Letl, Frank Letl, Leo Lauer, and J. F. 
Lauer spent Sunday in Peru. 

October 7: Several men driving a herd of horses and mules stopped in Sub- 
lette Sunday night and put them in the stockyards overnight. One of the mules 
broke open the gate during the night and wandered out on the railroad track 
and was instantly killed by a passing freight train. 

October 14: The little four-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Max Letl, Joseph by 
name, got his fingers caught in the gears of the washing machine and one of 
them was so badly crushed that it had to be amputated between the first and 
second joint. 

November 4: Eight Cars ofiF the Track at Sublette: A broken wheel threw 
eight freight cars off the track, piling them up considerably just north of Sub- 

23 



Congratulations 
to Sublette Community 
and Citizens on your 
1 0Oth-Birthday- 1 00th 

We have enjoyed doing 
business in this commu- 
nity the past twenty- 
nine years. 

1928 1957 

MARTIN A. SCHUETTE 

Hardware 
Phone 18 Amboy, III. 



Compliments of 

RALPH FANELLI 

Amboy, Illinois 



L. A. LAUER 

Real Estate 

insurance 

Farm Loans 

Phone 196 Amboy, III. 



McNinch 



Grocery 



General Merchandise 

Lee Center, 
Illinois 



THE VILLAGE PANTRY 

Hot & Cold Sandwiches 

Fountain Service 

Soft Drinks 

Ice Cream 

Julius & Grace Theiss, Props. 
Sublette, Illinois 



Compliments of 

TOMLINSON FUNERAL 
HOME 

Amboy, Illinois 



p. Melody WHIP 

WHIPS LIKE A DREAM! ! 

^Tastes wonderful In co«k*d 1 
or baked diihet and b good 
In coffM, toe. 



AMBOY MILK 
PRODUCTS CO. 

Amboy, Illinois 



Compliments of 

O'BRIEN'S TAP 

Amboy, Illinois 




lette Sunday evening on the Illinois Central. The regular trains could not get 
by the wreck, so the passengers on the south bound and those on the north 
bound transferred trains at the scene of the wreck. No member of the freight 
crew was hurt. The engine and several cars near the locomotive did not leave 
the track. The track was badly torn up and several of the cars were quite badly 
damaged. 

December 16: Miss Angela Schuler of Mendota recently found a $5 bill which 
she advertised in the Sun Bulletin. Mrs. Chas. Letl of Sublette lost this amount 
of money while going from the train to Werschinski's store and upon answer- 
ing the ad was given the money. Sun Bulletin ads pay. 



1918 



WORLD WAR I: The Township gave 32 men in service, all except one — 
Edwin Oscar Koch — surviving the dangers they faced. His body was re- 
turned to Sublette and was interred in the Peterson Cemetery. Sublette gave 
its full quota to every campaign conducted within its borders. First meeting 
held for the Second Liberty Loan at Armory Hall with about 175 present. 
Chas. E. Bettendorf presided; second meeting at Armory Hall with William 
H. Brucker presiding; third at St. Mary's School, with Brucker presiding; and 
fourth at the Union Church with the Rev. P. Koeneke. June 17, a Red Cross 
branch was organized with 72 members. Louis Pitcher and Mrs. McCleary of 
Dixon helped it organize. Wm. Brucker was elected chairman with assistants: 
Mrs. Leslie Abell, Mrs. Mary Auchstetter, Miss Catherine Kuehna, Mrs. Otto 
Koehler, Mrs. John Stilz, and Mrs. G. M. Reis. Work done and turned in was: 
197 hospital shirts; 114 pajamas; 80 bandages; 45 sweaters; 92 pairs of socks 
with a large number of helmets, wristlets, quilts and other supplies. In loans 
and stamps Sublette Township contributed $160,280.00 toward the war efforts; 
in outright donations: $4618.50. 

Ex-service men organized a Legion Post, No. 716. Its early membership was 
about 15, who attended the meetings regularly and stood behind all community 
projects. Roy Long, a young farmer living a few miles west of the Village, was 
Post Commander for a number of years. 



1919 



SUBLETTE FARMERS ELEVATOR COMPANY was organized and began 
business. The first board of directors included: E. G. Hoffman, F. M. Blowers, 
WiUiam Brucker, George Erbes, J. P. Malach, W. H. Glaser, J. R. Oester. 



1920 



CHARLES B. HATCH hauled the first load of pigs to Sublette by gasoline 
power. With his trailer hitched behind his Model-T Ford, he made eleven 
trips to bring 55 hogs to town. 



Compliments of 

PAGAN'S CLOTHING 
& SHOE STORE 

Amboy, Illinois 



HOERNER'S 

HARDWARE & 

APPLIANCES 

Television Sales & 

Service 

Phiico, Zenith, Admiral 

Phone 43 West Brooklyn 




Main Street, vieueti from the W eat. in the early 1900"s 



1922 



"SUBLETTE, at the present time, has a population of very nearly 300 peo- 
ple. It is a thriving and prosperous little village situated in the midst of 
one of the best farming districts in Illinois. A large per cent of the people 
living in the town are retired farmers, men who lived all their lives in this 

24 



vicinity and have put in long hours of labor on the farm. They have watched 
Sublette grow and feel it is the only place in Illinois where they would like 
to spend the remainder of their lives. 

"At the present time the farmers of that vicinity haul their grain to the 
Farmers Elevator of Sublette. The elevator is owned by farmers of that dis- 
trict. The grain is shipped out on the only railroad, the Illinois Central, run- 
ning through the town. Lumber is handled in connection with the grain by 
the elevator. An extensive trade has been built up in this particular line. A 
large lumber shed, similar to the one of the Mendota Farmers' Co-operative 
Co., has been erected in which the lumber is housed after being unloaded from 
the freight cars. 

"The quality of the land in that section will compare with any land in 
the State of Illinois. The crop last year in the vicinity of Sublette was a bumper 
crop compared with the crops within a short distance of that locality. The 
farmers were visited with a rain last summer, just at the time it was needed, 
and other farming communities were not so favored. 

"The business section of Sublette comprises two grocery stores, hotel, two 
barber shops, two elevators, two hardware dealers, a number of soft drink 
parlors, a bank, a livery stable, and a hospital. The Catholic Church is located 
on the extreme eastern edge of the town and the Union Church was, until 
recently, called the Baptist Church. The Sublette public school is situated on 
the east side of town. Miss Clara Erbes acts in the capacity of principal, and 
Miss Hilda Bansau is in charge of the primary department. 

"The Sublette Hospital, owned and operated by Dr. B. H. S. Angear, is 
known and used extensively. Dr. Angear is one of the best informed doctors 
in this section of the country and has a large practice. 

"The city officials are: Pres. A. J. Lauer; Village Clerk, Lester Geiger; 
Trustees. J. A. Auchstetter, Michael Lauer, A. J. Koehler, Ben H. Full, Godfrey 
Dinges. and W. E. Easter; City Waterworks Engineer, George M. Reis; Con- 
stable, Edward McNinch. 

"The people of that community believe in hard work. They are supporters 
in every movement which will be an improvement to the community. Taken 
as a whole, the citizens are wide-awake and up to the minute set of individu- 
als." (The Mendota Sun Bulletin, March 9, 1922) 

The Bur-Lee-Eau Community Club was organized with Leslie Long as its 
first president. (In 1957 it remains the oldest such organization in the history 
of the Township, with 25 active members presided over by Paul Mossholder.) 



1926 



Organization of the SUBLETTE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, with 
Henry Bansau as first chief. About 1934 the first fire truck was built under 
the direction of Bert Hewitt of Amboy and the assistance of the Amboy fire- 
men. This was the beginning of the continued wonderful spirit of cooperation 
between these two fire-fighting units. In 1939, August 6, the Firemen's Tourna- 
ment was held at Sublette. In 1947 a new fire truck was purchased by the com- 
munity in the form of an International K-5 truck, and a new fire station was 
built. In 1951 a gala celebration marked the Silver Jubilee of the organization. 




Sublette's first fire truck, built by Bert Hewitt and Amboy firemen around 
April, 1934. In truck: Lloyd Plume, Ertvin Haivs, Dick Dorralson, Elmo Litts, and 



Congratulations, 
Sublette 

GEO. CHESLEY 

General Carpentry 
Sublette, Illinois 



Congratulations, 
Sublette 

BOB'S 
SUPEB SEBVICE 

Emergency Road Service 

Chicago Motor Club 

Phone 144 R 2 

Amboy, Illinois 



LEE COUNTY 
GRAIN ASSOCIATION 

Elevators at 

Lee Center, Ashton, 

Shows, Steward 

A Producer-Owned 
Co-Operative 

Main Office 
Lee Center, ill. 



Bert Hewitt 



25 



SAUK VALLEY COLLEGE 
LRC 012500 



SHEARER'S GAMBLE 
STORE 

Amboy, III. 

Home of such famous 

names as: 

Rockcote paints 

Whirlpool 

R. C. A. Estate 

Coronado 

Bendix 

Hoover 

We give 
Top Value Stamps 



Congratulations, 

Sublette, 

on your 100th birthday 

MICHAEL G. MIHM 

Funeral Home 
Amboy, Illinois 



You can make your 

"someday" come true 

now with a 1957 Buick 

lOHN A. LIGGETT 

Buick Sales & Service 

4 South Jones Avenue 

Amboy, Illinois 



In 1954 the new number system for the fire district was introduced. L. J. 
Vaessen is the present fire chief, and the association is now a member of the 
Black Hawk Firemen's Association. 



1934 



June 20: Sublette businessmen sponsored community picnic at Amboy Park. 
21/2 mile parade from Sublette to Amboy; 2500 were present. 




Elevator model, built to scale by Urb Glaser and Julius Fischer, entered in 
1934 Businessmen's Parade 



1938 



September 29: A. J, Lauer and son. Amor, started construction of new imple- 
ment building, which opened December 8. 



1939 



Erection of Community Building — the end result of a recognized need for 
years, after much planning and organization. Adequate facilities with club 
room upstairs, dance floor and basketball court, stage, kitchen, dining room, 
and bowling alleys in basement. 
Main Street was first paved, 1938 or 1939. 



1940 



January 4: Sublette's new Community Building was dedicated, with entertain- 
ment, supper, and dance. The building committee consisted of: Dr. B. H. S. 
Angear, chairman; Peter Reinhart, secretary; Walter Erbes, treasurer. Original 
cost was $18,000. 




Sublette Community Building anil Servicemen's Memorial Plaque 
26 



February: John J. Barton retired as Sublette postmaster, after having served 
the community in that capacity for 34 years. This is the longest term of any 
postmaster in this community. Mr. Barton was eighth in history of village, 
being preceded by: A. L. Wilder, Mr. Fuller, Jacob B. Barton, George Hewitt, 
Frank Thompson, Mrs. Carrie Pumphrey, Berthold Fluehr, and succeeded by 
Albert W. Butler and the present incumbent. Amor Lauer. 




Berthold Fluehr, then post- 
master, and son, Frank, in 
front of post office in 1903 



HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY 

to 

Sublette Village and Township 

from the author of 

The Biography of a Country 

Town: U.S.A. 

Anthony J. Becker 

Copies of book still available $3.00 

each. Free mailing — upon request — 

anywhere 



Congratulations! 

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS 

Council 2090 
Mendota, Illinois 



May: Dr. B. H. S. Angear retired. Dr. C. D. Hartman took charge of the 
Sublette Hospital. 



1941 



December 17: Our boys started leaving for service in World War II. Doctor 
Hartman joined the United States Navy. O. S. U. Mothers' Club was or- 
ganized. 
Green River Ordnance Plant brought many new faces to Sublette. 



1942 



June 12: Victory Parade at Sublette, Friday evening, in connection with Vic- 
tory Week. 



1943 



June 17: Memorial plaque for men and women in service was dedicated. It 
was erected through the efforts of the S. O. S. Mothers' Club. Honor Roll 
established. Poem for occasion composed by Lillian Rapp. 
December: 85th Anniversary Celebration of Union Church. 



1945 

April: V. E. Day: Fire whistle blew long and joyfully through Village and to 
all corners of Township. 

August l4: V. J. Day: Big celebration: fire department staged a rally; both 
churches held thanksgiving services — bells were rung long and loud. Horns 
and whistles made the Village reverberate with the glad tidings. However • — 
five local sons would not return home: Lester McNinch, Adam Young, John 
Arrigo, Donald Rapp, and Marvin E. Frank. 

1947 

Extensive program for remodeling the Sublette Farmers' Bank, inside and 
out. 

1948 

June 7: Henkel elevator, presently owned and operated by the Federal North 
Iowa Grain Company, and five adjoining buildings destroyed by fire. Build- 
ings included elevator, warehouse, office building, machine shed, garage and 
company house. Six of eight were completely destroyed. Loss to company 
estimated at $30,000. Also burned were posts, lumber, and four buildings 
owned by the Meier Post Company, with loss of $40,000. 

27 



THE ROSE MARY 

Gustie Fischer, Owner 
Amboy, Illinois 



ORIE BONNELL 



Edw. J. Funk and Sons 
Super Crost Hybrids 

Phone Sublette 20400 



Compliments of 

LEONARD'S BAKE SHOP 

724 Main Street 

Mendota, Illinois 

Phone 4711 



Compliments of 

'TOBY " BARRY 

State Representative 
40th District 
Ladd, Illinois 



Congratulations 
Sublette 

W. p. WEITZEL 

your local 
PIONEER DEALER 




ROCK RIVER READY MIX 

not Inc. 
Dixon, Illinois 



Plant, Logan Ave. and Rock River 
Plant Phone 4-9S51 



Full Measured 

Quality Concrete 



Our Best Wishes 

to Sublette 



August: Community meeting to decide whether Sublette Hospital would be 

opened. With a large crowd in attendance opening was decided. 

September: Sublette Hospital bought by the community from Dr. and Mrs. 

C. D. Hartman. and organized under name of Sublette Community Memorial 

Hospital. 

September 22: Sublette Hospital Day held. Included an outdoor auction sale 

of articles which were hard to get at time, such as autos, tractors, etc. A total 

of $8,000 was realized. 

One of largest crowds ever in the Village; drive for funds to remodel and 

redecorate hospital, which was closed during World War II when Doctor 

Hartman joined the navy — but returned afterwards to build a new home 

and office. During War Josephine Burkardt came to aid of many with her 

experience in nursing technique. 



1951 



April: Interior of Sublette Community Hall gutted by fire. Loss of $12,000. 
July 27: Flash flood hits Village between 4 and 6 p. m. Center of rain storm 
apparently about one mile south of Village where it poured water into a low 
spot on Route 52 to a depth of about five feet. Many houses in Village had 
flooded basements. 



1953 



LEFFELMAN MEAT CENTER established in a new building north of Vil- 
lage — "our own little Swift and Company," with the latest in handling and 
curing meat. 
December: DR. WAYNE F. SPENADER starts practice. 

1956 

Construction of new Sublette Elementary School started. 
LIONS CLLTB organized. President: Howard Sutton. 

1957 

Completion of new Elementary School. 



August 17-18 
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 



^S^^KKmwm"- ^S!S 5ES SBm ■"991 

e^SSSSSSBai MSB SBS SSS SiBi* 
BE aSB SBa MiiaaH '**9S SBS SBi^ 
SS SSE 3B5 MiBii" ••■■i MM^ . 




New Sublette Elementary Scliuul. one blocli It est of the Community Building, note being completed by the Lindquist 
Construction Co.. of Dixon, ivill be ready for classes in September. 1957. Teaching staff tvill be: Paul Shanyfelt, Mrs. 
Ahvilda Sivisher, and Mrs. Ellice Dinges 



28 



To Sublette and its Community, on its 100th Birthday, 
We say: 



'Congratulations, Neighbor" 



H. F. Gehant Banking Co. 

West Brooklyn, Illinois 



29 



}Ap 



eiroApecuon 



til 



LILLIAN A. RAPP 



Our hearts respond with gladness, 
And with keen appreciation too, 
For the settlers who a century ago. 
Came to this farming land so new. 
They came by co\'ered wagons. 
Over land and by waterways. 
We thrill to learn of the courage, 
They displayed in those early days. 

First came the brave New Englanders — 
Descendants of old pilgrim stock. 
Some came from the State of Ohio, 
With a spirit hardship could not block. 
It was in Eighteen Hundred Thirty 

Seven, 
That certain, strong, young men came. 
Near the timbers they built log cabins. 
And each improved his government 
claim. 

We are proud of the descendants. 
Who value their homesteaded land. 
And who teach the young generation. 
Veneration, for a memory so grand. 
The wooded land, the running creek. 
The grassland and unturned sod 
Awaited here the valiant souls. 
'Twas prepared by an all-giving God. 

The wild game was here before them, 
In abundance, to supply their food. 
With wild plums, grapes and crab- 
apples, 
To please their appetite and mood. 
Fresh berries, each in their season. 
Gave the settlers just cause to rejoice. 
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, 
With chokecherries they had a choice. 

The wild elderberry blossoms were 
dried. 

And used for brewing a cup of good 
tea. 

Wild honey was also here to be found. 

It was made by the industrious bee. 

They knew how to find and identify 
plants, 

That they used for good home reme- 
dies. 

Blue flag, that grew on the wet low- 
land, 

And boneset were the commonest of 
these. 

Back from the California "Gold Rush", 

Great grandfather bought land here. 

Paying less than one dollar an acre. 

He built a log house, with title clear. 

Other German folks came from over- 
seas 

And they purchased farmland nearby. 

That language was all the children 
heard. 

Until in school English was given a 
try. 



Their love for the land made labor a 

joy. 
They met the challenge of each new 

day. 
With horse, mule, or oxen to pull the 

plow, 
The men walked behind it all the 

way. 
The acreage was small, but tilled by 

hand. 
Made physical strength a prime fac- 
tor. 
Arising before dawn, they retired by 

eight. 
Quite different than farming with 

tractor. 



The farm problems of the early pio- 
neers. 
Were far more perplexing than we 

know. 
But they toiled on with hope and 

vision. 
That good results, they would surely 

show. 
The children helped with the corn 

planting; 
They dropped the kernels into the 

rows. 
While walking along with their 

elders. 
Who dug and finished with their 

hoes. 



Those early days, before the railroad 

came. 
The children they told of three-day 

trips. 
To sell their sacked grain in Chicago, 
And how with obstacles they came to 

grips. 
The horse-drawn wagons could not 

get across 
The creeks until emptied of their 

load. 
Men carried the sacked grain on their 

backs. 
Until they got on good solid road. 



The pack peddlers, in those early 
days. 

Were often made welcome as visitors. 

The farm folks bought the merchan- 
dise 

That he displayed from meager 
stores. 

But sometimes they went to Chicago, 

To buy yard goods from which they 
made 

The clothes and dresses that they 
wore. 

On which no store-bought pattern 
laid. 

30 




Lillian A. Rapp 



Great grandmother carded the sheep 

wool, 
And on her spinning wheel made the 

yarn. 
With which she knitted the stockings 
To keep the feet of her whole family 

warm. 
Her knitting needles could never be 

idle. 
She plied them the time she could 

spare 
From her many other household 

duties, 
In which her older children had a 

share. 



The rain barrel was their conven- 
ience. 

Along with a wooden tub and wash- 
board. 

The homemade soap from ash-made 
lye 

Was all that generation could afford. 

The length and fulness of the dresses, 

And the many petticoats that they 
wore 

Must have reddened and blistered 
hands 

Of the washers, and made them quite 
sore. 



Great grandmother made the candles 
From tallow and from wild beeswax. 
Her family was large, her house 

small, 
There was no time for her to relax. 
There was no handy box of matches 
Available, in those early bygone days. 
The open fireplace, where a backlog 
Was kept burning for starting a 

blaze. 



With plunger churn and its tall crock 
They made butter from pan-cooled 

cream. 
While their strong arms plied the 

plunger, 
A new invention became a farm lad's 

dream. 
The butter was washed with cool 

water. 
Carried by bucket from the dug well. 
It was salted and worked with a 

paddle. 
Thus making it ready to eat or to 

sell. 

Spacious homes replaced the log 
cabins; 

The growing children had rooms of 
their own. 

One-room schools were built for edu- 
cation. 

For man cannot live for roof and 
bread alone. 

Our great grandparents saw us in 
their vision; 

They toiled that our lives would be 
blest. 




Bringing steamer to a halt is Mr. Voigt, the station agent, standing tcith 
his son, to the west of the old depot in the early 1900's 



Did You Know That? 



The town, such at it was, moved in 

from Perkins Grove when the Railroad 

came through this section? Passenger 

The grading between Mendota and service out of the Village was very ac- 

By their efforts to conquer the hard- Sublette is the highest on the I. C. commodating for many years, both 

ships, R. R. run from downstate? North and South? Later bus service 

Before leaving earth for eternal rest. took over and ran for a few years? 



We salute the Sublette Community on its Centennial 

One hundred years has brought many changes . . . from the log cabin to the New 
Butler and Steel Frame Buildings. 

MENDOTA BUILDING SERVICE, Inc. 



Your 



i butler: 



Mendota, Illinois 



31 



Builder 



Can Anything Good Come from Sublette? 
Literary Celebrities of Sublette Stock 

WILLIAM ELEAZAR BARTON 
Born at SUBLETTE, Illinois, June 28, 1861. Died at Brook- 
lyn, New York, December 7, 1930. American Congregation- 
list clergyman and writer. Father of Bruce Barton. He served 
as pastor (1899-1924) of the First Church at Oak Park, 
Illinois, and founded (1928) and preached at the College- 
side Church at Nashville, Tenn. He was editor-in-chief 
(1913-17) of The Advance, and served on the staff (1900- 
17, 1925 et seq.) of The Youth's Companion. His writings 
include Life o,f the Hills of Kentucky (1889), Pocket Con- 
gregational Manual (1910), The Parables of Safed the Sage 
(1917), Abraham Lincoln and His Books (1920), and The 
Great Good Man (1927). (Taken from Netv Century 
Cyclopedia of Names) 

BRUCE BARTON 
Born on August 5, 1886, in Robbins, Tennessee, the son of 
William E. Barton, into an atmosphere of books and scholar- 
ship - an atmosphere which made it inevitable that he should 
write. His father was a great scholar and teacher, and a world 
authority on Abraham Lincoln. The young Barton graduated 
from Amherst College in 1907, and spent the following 
years in the editorial and sales departments of various mag- 
azines. This varied experience naturally fitted him for the 
job of executive head of an advertising agency, and he is 
now (1944) president of Batten, Barton, Durstine, and Os- 
borne, one of the largest agencies in the United States. 

He has found time, nevertheless, to write innumerable 
magazine articles and books. His brilliant interpretation of 
the life and character of Christ, The Alan Nobody Knows. 
originally published in 1925, was enormously successful and 
brought hmi national fame. It was followed the succeeding 
year by The Book Nobody Knows, in 1927 by WVjat Can a 
Man Believe?, and in 1929 by On the Up and Up. 

In later years the talents so brilliantly developed in writ- 
ing and advertising were applied to politics, and in 1937 
Bruce Barton was elected to Congress to fill the vacancy 
caused by the death of Theodore A. Peyser. He was re- 
elected in 1938 as a Representative from the famous Silk 
Stocking District in New York City, and is now (1944) a 
member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and of 
the House Committee on Labor. Mr. Barton was married to 
Esther M. Randall of Oak Park, Illinois, in 1913. They 
reside in New York City and have two sons and a daughter. 



— AND MUSICAL CELEBRITIES? 



"Best Wishes and Continued Progress" 

L J. STEPHENITCH & SONS 



your 

International Harvester Dealer 

Since 1893 

also 

General Electric Appliances 

and 

Speed Queen Wringer Washers 

Sales and Service 

Dial 2194 Mendota, Illinois 



Did You Know That? 

Clara Barton, of Sublette ancestry, 
has also written and published books.' 



William E. Barton mailed his books 
on Lincoln and other subjects out of 
Sublette at the time of their publication, 
precisely to raise the classification of 
the postoffice from fourth to third? 



Jacob Barton's "Golden Ointment", 
manufactured in Sublette, used to be 
known and used from coast to coast. 




Sublette Band of 1905. The 
group includes: Tony Lauer, Fred 
Koehler, Ed Wolfe. George Leffel- 
nian, Ed Easter. George Barth, 
Paul Lauer, George Lauer. John 
Lauer, If ill Easter, Jake Michel, 
and Roman Malach 



32 



Welcome To The 


Sublette Centennial 


SKINNY'S TAVERN 


Chicken on Wednesday Night 


Fresh Fish on Friday Night 


Phone 13 


Sublette, Illinois 


Skinny and Mildred 



Did You Know That? 

It is falsely rumored that Abe Lin- 
coln spent some nights at the Barton's 
home in Sublette? 

Ellice Dinges taught school longer 
than any other teacher in the Village 
School? 




Sublette's 

String 

Quartet : 

back. W'tn. 

Easter. 

Tony Lauer; 

frnnt. Geo. 

Leffeltnan. 

Ed. Easier 



The Most Unforgettable Character Vie Met 

by Bruce Barton 

(Excerpt from The Reader's Digest. July, 1956) 

Until a few years ago there were people still living in 
Oberlin, Ohio, who remembered one of the strangest spec- 
tacles ever seen in that college town. Down the main street 
walked a Negro boy leading a white horse, on which was 
seated a young woman — my mother — with a baby, myself, 
in her arms. Behind her walked a Negro girl leading a 
white cow. And beside them strode my father, who, with 
hardly more than a dollar in his pocket and not the slightest 
shadow of fear in his soul, had come to enroll for a theo- 
logical course. 

Three years later, on a warm May afternoon in 1890, 
Father was awarded a diploma from the Oberlin Theo- 
logical Seminary. That was a triumphant day, for behind it 
lay a long, hard struggle. 

Father's first memory went back to 1865, when he was 
four. He was standing in front of my grandfather's drug- 
store [in SUBLETTE] holding a package of tacks while 
Grandfather strung black cotton over the door. A group 
of men were watching, and the reason Father remembered 
the scene so vividly was because it was the first time he had 
ever seen grown men cry. The news had just reached the 
town of Sublette, Illinois, that Abraham Lincoln was dead. 

Grandfather [Jacob B. Barton, who settled in Knox Grove 
in 1846} was a kindly man at heart, but stubborn and em- 
bittered by financial reverses. Father, though he respected 
him, decided at the age of 16 that it was better for them to 
live apart. Father had accumulated four dollars but this 
money, he felt, was not rightfully his, since his father had 
provided a roof for him, and clothes and food. He left the 
four dollars and walked away penniless. 

On the second day he was faced with a moral decision 
— should he walk or jump a freight train [out of Sublette]? 
His feet were blistered and swollen, but to ride, it seemed 
to him, would be stealing. He told me later: "That was 
the time I decided, once and for all, never to do anything 
that would make it impossible for me to look my mother, 
or my friends, in the face without shame." He added: 
"It's a good thing to make that decision early; then you 
never have to worry about it again." 

He worked on farms in Illinois from daybreak to dark, 
and read in bed every book he could lay his hands en. He 
taught himself Latin, and one day when he met a young 
clergyman who showed him his diploma. Father found to 
his delight that he could decipher it. Eagerly he a.sked: 
'"With how little money could a man enter college and get 
through? " 

The preacher answered: "It all depends on the man. If 
he has good health and is determined to succeed he can 
enter college without one red cent and come out with his 
bills paid." 

"Without one red cent." The words fired his ambition. 
After teaching school near Barbourville, Ky., one summer. 
Father walked 70 miles to enroll in Berea College. His 
roommate was Charlie Norton and together they worked 
on the college farm, set type in the college printing office 
and waited on table in the college dining room. The rate 
of pay at Berea was then seven to twelve cents an hour. . . 



Did You Knotr That.-' 

Attorney John O. Shaulis, Sr., once 
taught school in Sublette? 



The Village once had a thriving li- 
brary? (Oh, books, where have you 
gone?) 



33 



ge owe 

WISHES 

to the citizens 

of 

Sublette 

on your 1 00th Anniversary 



Harold Carroll 



Carl Knudten 



and the Boys of 



fl!ii3Wfflimtt 



, CHEVROLET wOLDSMOBILE--SflLES<z«^SERVICE 



A. M BOY, I 1_ U I N O 1 S DSI 



We extend a heartfelt 

welcome to our Sublette 

Friends on your Centennial 

SAM'S 
STEAK HOUSE 

Mendota 



The Laws and Ordinances of the Village of Sublette, Lee 
County, Illinois, as passed on February 13, 1893 and 
approved on February 17, 1893. (Taken from the book 
of ordinances together with The Rules and Regulations 
of the Board of Trustees, Compiled and Revised by 
Order of the Board of Trustees and Published by Au- 
thority of the Board of Trustees. 
RULE 1 : At all meetings of the Board of Trustees, upon 
the appearance of a quorum, the Board shall be called to 
order, the President taking the Chair, if present, and the 
Board appointing an "acting President" if the President 
should be absent. In case of the absence of the Clerk, a 
Clerk pro tempore shall be appointed. The Board shall 
then proceed to the business before them which shall be 
conducted in the order following: 

1. The reading of the minutes of the proceedings of the 
last meeting. Amendment and approval of the same; the 
minutes standing approved unless objected to. 

2. Unfinished business of preceding meeting. 

3. Received communications and petitions. 

4. Reports of committees 

5. Report of officers. 

6. Appointment of officers. 

7. Auditing bills. 

8. Presenting ordinances. 

9. Offering resolutions. 

10. New and miscellaneous business. 

11. Adjournment. 

(The following are extracted from the book of ordinances 

in the hope that they will be reviewed by the presently 

law-abiding citizens of Sublette Township) 

Ord. No. 1, BOUNDARIES: Sec. 1: The boundaries of the 
Village of Sublette, are as follows: Beginning at the 
northeast corner of the southwest quarter (I/4) of south- 
west quarter (^) of section three (3), in township 
nineteen (19), north range eleven (11), east of the 4th 
P. M., running thence west three quarters (%) of a 
mile, thence south one and one-half (1/2) miles, thence 
east three-quarters ( % ) of a mile, thence north one and 
one-half (ly^) miles to the place of beginning. 

Ord. No. 2: RESISTING AN OFFICER: Sec. 3: Who- 
ever aids or assists a prisoner in escaping from an offi- 
cer or other person who has the lawful custody of such 
prisoner shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars 
nor more than one hundred dollars. 

Ord. No. 3: SIDEW^ALKS: Sec. 3: All sidewalks con- 
structed or repaired hereafter shall not be less than three 
(3) feet in width, with good and sufficient support 
underneath. 

Ord. No. 4: VILLAGE CONSTABLES: Sec. 3: The Vil- 
lage Constable shall receive for his services such fees for 
serving all writs and processes allowed by law to con- 
stables for similar services by the laws of this State; and 
any officer making an arrest without warrant as provided 
by Ordinance or law shall receive the same fees therefor 
as in case of arrest with warrant. 

Ord. No. 5: TRIALS IN JUSTICE'S COURT: Sec. 7: 
It shall be the duty of an officer, on arresting a person 
charged with violating an Ordinance of the Village, to 
notify the President of the Board of Trustees of said 
Village of the same, before the trial or examination of 
such arrested person. Provided, that when the defendant 
pleads guilty to such charge in open court, no such notice 
need be given. 

Ord. No. G: MALICIOUS MISCHIEF: Sec. 1: No person 
shall wilfully cut, injure, deface, tarnish, or place any 
lewd, gross, or obscene marks or characters, advertisement 
or notice upon any building, fence, tree, or other prop- 
erty within the Village limits, under penalty of a fine ot 
not less than one dollar nor more than fifty dollars for 
each offence. 



34 



Ord. No. 7: NUISANCES. PUBLIC PEACE AND MOR- 
ALS. PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE: Sec. 
4: No person shall ride, drive, or lead any horse or other 
animal, or any carriage or other vehicle, upon any side- 
walk, except at crosswalks at intersection of streets or 
alleys, or entering into, or upon any lot, yard, or stable; 
nor shall any person tie or leave any horse, team, or 
vehicle on any sidewalk or crosswalk in said Village so 
as to obstruct the same; nor shall any person leave any 
horse or team in any street or alley without being securely 
fastened, nor tie team in any street or alley without being 
securely fastened, nor tie such animal to any tree or fence; 
and any person convicted of either of such offenses shall 
be fined not less than one dollar nor more than hxe for 
each offense. 

Sec. 9: No person shall use a rubber or elastic attached 
to a stick, commonly known as a sling, or any other 
device for the purpose of throwing stones or other ma- 
terials; and any person found guilty of so doing shall be 
fined not less than one nor more than five dollars, or 
be confined in the lockup not more than twenty-four 
hours. 

Sec. 12: Minors shall not be permitted to assemble or 
congregate in or around the depot, or upon any railroad 
grounds of any railroad within the Village limits; or to 
get upon or pass under any car or train of cars for any 
purpose whatever, unless such persons are in the regular 
employ or are hired by the railroad company; or are 
there for the purpose of taking the cars for transportation 
to some regular station; or are at the depot or on said 
grounds on business and attending to their legitimate 
business. Any person violating any of the provisions of 
this section shall be fined not exceeding one hundred 
dollars for each offence. 

Sec. 14: No person shall get or catch on any sleigh, 
wagon, or other vehicle, while moving, without the ex- 
press consent or permission of the owner or driver there- 
of; and any person guilty of violating the provisions of 
this section shall be fined not less than one nor more 
than ten dollars for each offence. 

OrJ. No. 8; POLL TAX AND SUPERINTENDENT OF 
STREETS: Sec. 2: Every able-bodied male inhabitant of 
said Village above the age of twenty-one years and under 
the age of fifty years — excepting paupers, idiots, and 
lunatics, and such others as are exempt by general law, 
or Ordinance of said Village — shall perform one day's 
labor in each year upon the streets, alleys, sidewalks, or 
crosswalks, of said Village at such time and place, and 
in such manner and with such tools as the Superintendent 
of the Streets may direct, and whenever notified by such 
Superintendent; but every such person may at his option 
pay to the Superintendent of Streets in lieu of such labor, 
one dollar in money. Provided: that such payment of 
commutation shall be made on or before the day upon 
which he may be required by said Superintendent to labor 
as aforesaid; any person failing to perform such labor 
when duly notified by said Superintendent and making 
default in payment or commutation money as aforesaid, 
shall be liable to the Village and be fined for such re- 
fusal to labor or commute therefore as aforesaid the sum 
of two dollars and shall stand committed to the lockup 
or Village jail until such fine and costs are paid. 

Old. No. 9: LICENSE: Sec. 13: Whoever shall keep open 
any barber shop on Sunday after ten o'clock A. M. or 
any store or meat market after eleven o'clock A. M. 
(except for work of necessity or charity) shall on con- 
viction be fined not less than three dollars nor more 
than twenty dollars for each offence. 

Old. No. 10: MUNICIPAL AND FISCAL YEAR: Sec. 1: 
The municipal and fiscal year shall begin on the first 



HOWARD SUTTON 

Representing 

Lee County Service Company 

Petroleum Products 



Phone 55 



Sublette 



THE NATIONAL BANK 
of MENDOTA 

Mendota, Illinois 
Member F.D.I.C. 



35 





Get your 






SISLER 


'S 




Quality 






Butter and Ice 


Cream 




at 




L. M. 


Dinges General 
in 
Sublette 


Merchandise 



Compliments of 

C. K. WILLETT 



Consulting Engineer 



day of May, and end on the 30th day of April in each 
and every year. 
Ord. No. 13: VILLAGE SEAL: Be it ordained by the 
President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Sub- 
lette. The seal now provided for the Village of Sublette, 
Lee County, Illinois, and now in use in said Village, 
having the inscription "VILLAGE OF SUBLETTE, LEE 
COUNTY, ILLINOIS' around the center thereof, the 
impression of which seal is hereto affixed, shall be, and 
is hereby established and declared to be, the seal of the 
Village of Sublette, Lee County, Illinois. 
CERTIFICATE OF VILLAGE CLERK 

State of Illinois, Lee County, Village of Sublette 
I, J. W. Oberhelman, Village Clerk of the Village of 
Sublette, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinances 
from one to thirteen inclusive are true and correct copies 
as compared with the original Ordinances now on file in 
my office as Clerk aforesaid, and I do further certify that 
said Ordinances were passed on the 13th day of February, 
A.D. 1893, and approved on the 17th day of February, 
A.D. 1893, and published on the 18th day of February, 
A.D. 1893. 

In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and af- 
fixed the corporate seal of said Village of Sublette this 18th 
day of February. A.D. 1893. 

J. W. Oberhelman, 
Village Clerk 



John Bansau with horse and cart 




317 North Galena Avenue 
Phone 3-1481 
Dixon, Illinois 



When in Mendota 
Visit 

SKEET'S TAVERN 

For your 

Wining and Dining 

Pleasure 



BUSINESS DIRECTORY FOR VILLAGE OF SUBLETTE — 1872 

A. L. WILDER — dealer in dry ^oods, groceries, boots, shoes, etc. (ROYAL 

BLUE STORE) 
ALVA HALE — hotel proprietor (Near present WATERWORKS) 
N. W. SMITH — physician and surgeon; justice of peace (delivered among others 

Mr. and Mrs. H. Bansau; resided and had office in H. Bansau home) 
H. P. WATTLES — dealer in stoves and hardware 
|ACOB B. BARTON — postmaster; dealer in books, stationery, job printing 

( North of POSTOFFICE ) 
LEVI MEAD — station and express agent of I. C. R. R. 
HENRY BANSAU, SR. — boot and shoe manufacturer 

E. M. LEWIS — wagon and carriage maker (South of H. Bansau's home) 

G. D. STANNARD — harness maker; dealer in whips, collars, brushes, etc. 
(place where A. J. Lauer lived) 

B. FLUER — dealer in boots and shoes (Art Shanyfelt's home) 

F. OBERHELMAN — dealer in coal, lime, and lumber (First elevator, south of 

depot, sold to Bettendorf, then to Farmers' Elevator Company, then torn 

down.) 
S. NEY — blacksmith and wagon maker. 
T. M. COLEMAN — physician and surgeon (home of Maud Theiss) 

G. BIEBER — boots and shoemaker (home of Archie Clark, Jr.) 
A. BUETTER — Catholic Priest 

G. W. BRANDON — physician and surgeon 
F. B. GARDNER — physician and surgeon 

C A. WILLMARTH — dealer in grain, coal, lumber, and agricultural machinery 
W. D. FORBES — dealer in drugs and hardware (Site of present POSTOFFICE 
and quarters of the Masons) 

36 



SOME REMINISCENCES OF HIS 
BOYHOOD HOME 

"It is commonly said that the contract 
for building that tangent of the railway 
which crossed the watershed between 
the Illinois and Rock Rivers was let 
and then sublet and that that accounted 
for the name; but when I first remem- 
ber it, the sign on the railway station 
read 'SOUBLETTE', and I heard that 
a South-American gentleman with a 
Spanish name had given us our title 
of distinction. 

"I cannot think of anything distinc- 
tive about Sublette. It was not pictur- 
esque or attractive or historic. It was 
a small unkempt village which at most 
claimed three hundred and fifty in- 
habitants and now has less than two 
hundred [1932], set down in the midst 
of the fertile farms. A skirmish of the 
Black Hawk War occurred there. Gen- 
eral Scott marched his army through 
to Rock Island, cutting through Knox 
Grove, the "army trail" that was visi- 
ble in my childhood, but has been ob- 
literated now because the grove itself 
has been cut nearly away. General 
Scott following the Indians and pur- 
sued by the cholera — but nothing 
great happened in Sublette then or 
ever . . . 

"If ever a community was over- 
churched, that one [Sublette] was. Al- 
ready the stream of American Protes- 
tant life was away from Sublette toward 
Iowa and Kansas. So many of our 
people were in Newton, Kansas, that 
when that town was suffering from 
crop failure, I remember we sent them 
a carload of provisions and clothing 
. . . We saw American-born farmers 
selling out and moving West, but we 
kept founding Protestant Churches; it 
was foolish ... 



"By the time I was sixteen I had 
fini.shed Sublette High School. There 
were no graduating exercises, but I am 
supposed to be of the class of 1878, 
and in that capacity I have addressed 
the school in recent years . . . 

"Life in Sublette was full of adven- 
ture. We had all the comedies and 
tragedies a town could have. I remem- 
ber when the Sublette Mills were struck 
by lightning and burned. I remember 
the storm that blew the steeple off the 
Catholic Church. I remember when, in 
a dry time, men who were digging 
what the farmers called a 'slough well' 
uncovered a dead man, and I was pres- 
ent when Immanuel Bee confessed to 
having shot his father, and was de- 
clared to have done it in self-defense. 
'Mannie' Bee was the Samson of Sub- 
lette. I remember when he carried a 
hundred pounds of flour a mile for the 
flour, and did not set down the load 
at the end of the mile, but danced a jig 
at the town pump and walked home 
with the flour. I was present when 
Mannie Bee had to lay down the cham- 
pionship, for I crowded into Newt 
Pumphrey's tin-shop when Mannie got 
his thrashing. I was not present when 
he shot himself, poor fellow. He said, 
as I was told, that if he had been 
punished a little, a year in jail or some- 
thing like that, he could have endured 
it, but though he had shot his drunken 
assailant in self-defense, still he could 
not endure the remorse of having 
killed his father." 

( The Autobiography of 
William E. Barton) 



Poems of Human Interest 

A mother's legacy to her children 

An attractive boolc of 220 pages 

8 pictures 

Price $2.00 

LILLIAN A. RAPP 

P.O. Box 22 
Sublette, Illinois 



KING 
FURNITURE STORE 

Free Delivery 

707 Washington 

Dial 6816 Mendota 



Centennial Greetings 




About 1920 — before the ar- 
riral of V. S. 52 - — • the east side 
of the yUlage as seen from the 
water loifer 



and 

RIVERDALE CHEMICALS 

L. J. HENKEL 

Sublette, Illinois 




Compliments 
State Representative 

lOSEPH P. STREMLAU 



Mendota, Illinois 
38th District 



Compliments of 

ERRES CLOTHING 

Mendota, III. 



(^onarataiatlond to Sublette I 



'9 




Farmers Telephone Company Main Office, 
Franlclin Grove, Illinois « 



Farmers Telephone Company of Lee County 

Early Telephone Service in Sublette 



In 1896 Brown Garrett built what was to 
be the first telephone line in or around Sub- 
lette. This line went from the George Lauer 
store to his home. In a short time this line 
was extended out to the Garrett farm and 
later to the Chas. B. Hatch farm. This was 
the beginning of telephone service for Sub- 
lette. 

The following year, 1897, a company be- 
gan operating in and between Sublette and 
Mendota. This was known as the Mendota- 
Sublette Telephone Company, which was, 
it seems, without access to other communi- 
ties. This system operated for several years. 
There was no switchboard at either end, all 
subscribers being on one line and getting 



into contact with one another by signal 
rings. Likewise, all subscribers could mere- 
ly lift the receiver and listen to all traffic in 
the system. 

Then in 1903, the present Farmers Tele- 
phone Company of Lee County was organ- 
ized and today the company operates five 
exchanges — Amboy, Ashton, Franklin 
Grove, Lee Center, and Sublette and has 
over 2,000 subscribers. 

The present officers of the company are: 
A. F. Jeanblanc, General Manager; L. W. 
Feik, President; Walter Erbes, Vice Presi- 
dent; Charles B. Hatch, Secretary; L. R. 
Jeanblanc, Treasurer; Frank Butler, Direc- 
tor; Ferdinand Jeanblanc, Director. 



38 



LOCAL FREIGHT RUNS OVER HISTORIC "GRUBER LINE' 



The run up the original line from 
La Salle to Freeport, Illinois, [directly 
through Sublette] is through a rich 
agricultural and industrial territory. 
The "Gruber Line" is one of those 
nicknames that has been used on the 
Illinois Central for many years without 
anyone seeming to know the origin of 
the name. Officially, the "Gruber" is 
the 162-mile line stretching from Clin- 
ton to Freeport, Illinois, the Amboy 
District of the Springfield Division. It 
is part of the original main line built 
in the early '50's. 

Freight conductor E. T, Emerich of 
Freeport seems to have the answer to 
the mystery of the name in a story 
told him years ago by retired Conductor 
"Pat" Crosson, also of Freeport. "Pat" 
claims the name was originated by a 
switchman named "Honest" Kline. The 
latter was waiting in the yards at Free- 
port for the Amboy freight to come 
rolling in. Freight traffic must have 
been pretty heavy that day, for when 
Kline saw the train he exclaimed, 
"Here comes that gruber-grabbin' so 
and so with a million cars!" 

Those within hearing distance must 
have been impressed with Switchman 
Kline's coined expression, for the nick- 
name stuck. To this day the Amboy 
District, whose rails have run smack 
down the middle of the state for near- 
ly a hundred years, is popularly known 
as the "Gruber" line. 

In palmier days the "Gruber" fea- 
tured a first-class passenger service that 
was abandoned when the automobile 
entered the field of mass transportation. 
Today, however, the "Old Main" is 
a single-track, freight line which gives 
the Illinois Central a second north- 
south heavy tonnage route through 
Illinois. 

A ride on the "Gruber" shows it to 
be a lively carrier of fast freight. The 
line serves a thriving territory where a 
mixture of industry and agriculture add 
to the wealth of the state. 

A typical local train on this district 
[through Sublette] is No. 394, the La 
Salle to Freeport run. As the sun slow- 
ly gives its warning that day is begin- 
ning, the yard at La Salle bustles with 
activity ... As the local rolls on, 
picking up speed, the country levels 
out into the typical farm country of 
Northern Illinois . . . One learns that 
the "Gruber Line" was completed be- 
tween Cairo and La Salle in January, 
1855, and between La Salle and East 
Dubuque the following June. The first 
passenger train service between Chicago 
and Cairo was inaugurated that year 
via the Burlington to Mendota, 111., 
where passengers transferred to the 
Illinois Central for the completion of 
their journey. 



1855 was an eventful year for pas- 
sengers and shippers between Galena 
and Cairo, for it was then the Illinois 
Central established a daily freight train 
run each way plus a daily passenger 
train each way. The train between Cairo 
and Galena had the added attraction 
of connecting with the numerous stage 
routes north and west of Galena . . . 
Small towns had sprung up and then 
disappeared, no longer needed in this 
day of expanded transportation and 
hard roads. Rich farm lands now cover 
some of these town sites. 

Although a town of only 5,000, 
Mendota is served by three large rail- 
road systems — the Illinois Central, 
the Burlington, and Milwaukee. Sig- 
nificantly, Mendota, an Indian word, 
means junction or crossing of three 
trails. After leaving the control tower, 
the two officers call at the station, 
which was remodeled recently. Agent 
Theodore Helbig and Walter C. Milar, 
freight clerk, proudly show off their 
new quarters. This freight building is 
one of Mendota's oldest brick struc- 
tures. It was constructed in 1852, when 
it was used as a depot. During the 
Civil War soldiers were loaded and 
unloaded at the platform. Agent Hel- 
big points out to visitors the original 
wooden beams in the ceiling. These 
beams are held together with the origi- 
nal hand-made wooden dowels. At the 
end of each beam are slots hewn out 
by hand in which are inserted wooden 
end-pins. 




Walter Lommatzsch and Ted Helbig in 
front of old I. C. depot 

39 



Engineer Nelson toots a warning 
that the switching has been completed. 
The travelers climb aboard for the run 
to Amboy, 16 miles away [through 
Sublette] ... It is nearing noon when 
the local arrives at Amboy, where the 
engine takes on coal and water. The 
crew ties up on the switching track 
during lunch. Not far from the station 
is the Amboy condensary, from which 
condensed milk is shipped to Europe 
and Asia . . . 

The local picks up a car of con- 
densed milk destined to Chicago and 
proceeds on to Eldena, where it 
switches out a car of company ties . . . 
Next stop along the line for the local 
is Dixon, III., where there are five 
cars of ties to be picked up for de- 
livery . . . 

It passes Woosung, named after a 
town in China by Captain Anderson, 
former station agent who sailed the 
seven seas before he became a rail- 
roader . . . The next station also has 
a name associated with distant lands: 
Polo, named for Marco Polo, the fa- 
mous Venetian traveler . . . 

Forreston is the last switching stop 
for the day . . . Before long the yard 
limit sign at Freeport may be seen in 
the distance. The conductor's watch 
shows five o'clock . . . The crew of the 
local heads for its supper. They will be 
back together tomorrow morning for 
the return down the "Gruber" to La 
Salle [and back again through Sub- 
lette]. {Illinois Central Magazine, 
February, 1950, pages 15-17, through 
courtesy of T. J. Helbig) 



T. J. Helbig has worked for the 
I. C. R. R. for 44 years. For 19 years 
he was the agent at Sublette, staying 
longer than any man before or since 
him. He and his wife Elizabeth 
(Betty) came to Sublette on March 
26, 1926, and since that time have 
done much for the betterment of the 
community spirit and progress. 



Did You Know That? 

Helbig Milk Products won Illinois 
State Fair prizes in the cheese division 
both in 1953 and 1954, and in 1938 
in Nebraska? 




Congratulations to Sublette on its Centennial 

from the Newest Member of this Community! 

LEFFELMAN MEAT CENTER 

Retail — Meats & Foods — Wholesale 

We feature 

Choice Aged Beef — Country Fresh Pork — Tempting Hickory Cured Meats 

Delicious Sausage 

For the first time in this section of Illinois you can rent a dependable 

G. E. Food Freezer (empty or filled) 

Come In — Let us save you dollars 




ALPHABETICAL ROSTER OF EARLY SETTLERS IN 
SUBLETTE TOW N SHIP 



W eliding picture of Mr. and Mrs. 
Paul Lindstrom. She was the former 
Margaret Theiss. daughter of Barthol- 
omaeus Theiss. Lindstrotn built the 
first hotel and also the Perkins Groie 
Catholic Church 



Name Dale 


of Settlement 


Place of Origin 


Anderson, H. 


1843 


Maine 


Angier, T. S. 
Austin, E. 


1841 
1838 


New Hampshire 
Canada 


Bansau, Henry, Sr. 
Bartlett, P. 


1857 
1844 


Holstein, Germany 
Massachusetts 


Barton, J. B. 
Benton, H. 


1846 
1846 


New Jersey 
Massachusetts 


Benton, Horace 


1854 


Massachusetts 


Berkley, B. F. 
Bettendorf, J. 


1845 
1865 


Virginia 
Prussia 


Betz, J. 


1844 


Germany 


Bieber, George 


I860 


Rheinhessen, Germany 


Black, J. 


1853 


Ireland 


Bowen, I. 


1858 


Massachusetts 


Bradshaw, J. E. 


1846 


Illinois 


Brandon, G. W. 


1871 


Illinois 


Brown, R. M. 


1864 


New York 


Brown, W. E. 


1856 


New York 


Buetter, A. 


1870 


Germany 


Camp, L. 
Chapman, H .C. 


1845 
1855 


Pennsylvania 
Massachusetts 


Clink, A. H. 
Clink, J. 


1843 
1847 


Pennsylvania 
New York 


Coleman, T. M. 


1866 


Ohio 


Coleman, W. 


1847 


Pennsylvania 


Cook, J. S. 


1848 


Pennsylvania 


Crawford, G. M. 


1844 


Pennsylvania 


Dexter, J. 


1838 


Canada 


Dexter, W. 


1838 


Canada 



40 



Name Dale of 


Settlement 


Place of Origin 


Easter (Oester), H. 


1851 


Germany 


Easter (Oester), John 


1855 


Germany 


Easter (Oester), J. 


1856 


Germany 


Eells, S. J. 


1845 


Ohio 


Ellsworth, L. 


1845 


Pennsylvania 


Erskine, H. N. 


1839 


Ohio 


Fessenden, E. 


1839 


Illinois 


Fessenden, G. T. 


1837 


New Hampshire 


Fluer, B. 


1858 


Germany 


Frey, H. 


1853 


Germany 


Frey, P. 


1851 


Germany 


Gardner, F. B. 


1861 


Massachusetts 


Gentry, J. H. 


1852 


North Carolina 


Hale, A. 


1844 


Pennsylvania 


Hall, J. 


1855 


Ohio 


Hatch, S. L. 


1837 


Vermont 


Hoffman, H. 


1845 


Germany 


Hubbard, R. P. 


1844 


Massachusetts 


Ingals, C. H. 


1846 


Illinois 


Ireland, W. W. 


1853 


Virginia 


Kasper, P. H. 


1854 


Germany 


Lauer, A. 


1848 


Germany 


Lewis, E. M. 


1845 


New York 


Lippincott, S .G. 


1859 


New Jersey 


Long, John 


1845 


Pennsylvania 


Long, J. H. 


1848 


Canada 


Lovering, Eliza 


1844 


Massachusetts 


Malach, J. G. 


1854 


Germany 


Mead, Levi 


1862 


New York 


Methven, J. S. 


1844 


Scotland 


Michel, J. 


1852 


Germany 


Morse, H. R. 


1858 


New Hampshire 


Morse, Walter 


1869 


Massachusetts 


Neis, S. 


1866 


Germany 


Nicholis, E. E. 


1868 


Germany 


Oberhelman, F. 


1866 


Missouri 


Peterson, J. 


1837 


New York 


Peterson, N. 


1842 


New York 


Reis, M. 


1844 


Germany 


Reniff, S. D. 


1844 


New York 


Rex, L. R. 


1853 


Ohio 


Richardson, E. C. 


1849 


New Hampshire 


Schwab, P. 


1847 


Germany 


Scott, D. 


1854 


Ohio 


Shoemacher, J. 


1857 


Prussia 


Smith, N. W. 


1855 


New York 


Stannard, A. L. 


1857 


New York 


Stannard, C. E. 


1845 


New York 


Stannard, G. D. 


1858 


New York 


Stannard, N. 


1845 


New York 


Stenger, G. 


1860 


Germany 


Stepham, J. 


1854 


Germany 


Stilz, J. 


1856 


Germany 


Swartwout, A. W. 


1845 


Illinois 


Swartwout, N. F. 


1845 


Illinois 


Theiss, B. 


1846 


Germany 


Theiss, G. 


1846 


Germany 


Theiss, J. 


1846 


Germany 


Theiss, John 


1846 


Germany 


Tourtillott, W. D. 


1840 


Maine 


Trowbridge, L. P. 


1855 


Massachusetts 


Wattles, H. P. 


1870 


New York 


White, G. H. 


1850 


Vermont 


Wilder, A. L. 


1855 


Massachusetts 


Willmarth, C. A. 


1866 


Vermont 


Woerter, H. 


1857 


Germany 


Wolf, J. 


1853 


Germany 



Compliments of 

THE MENDOTA REPORTER 

"Serving Sublette 
and Area" 



Congratulations 
Sublette 

LEO'S STUDIO 

Portrait & Commercial 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Weddings — Family Groups 

7101/2 Main Street 
Phone 4157 Mendota 



Greetings to our 
friends in Sublette 
on your Centennial 

BILL'S CHATTERBOX 

Mendota 

Excellent Food 

Fine Liquors 



Compliments of 



DIXON FRUIT COMPANY 



41 




csLudu 

4 

J-^erpetucLl 
J^etp 



About 1846 an itinerant missionary 
read the first Mass in this vicinity for 
a small colony of German Catholic 
immigrants in a private home of Per- 
kins Grove, about four miles south- 
west of the Village. Through the in- 
stigation of the Theiss family, Paul 
Lindstrom, an 1849 immigrant car- 
penter and architect, in 1853 constructed 
the old frame church with its hand- 
carved altar, both of which still exist 
today. This was served for several years 
by priests from Freeport and Ottawa. 

It had been in May of the year 1846 
that the family of Bartholomaeus 
Theiss, consisting of himself, his wife, 
four sons, and three daughters, settled 
down at Perkins Grove. This was one 
of the very first families to come di- 
rectly from Germany to take its footing 
in Lee County. He soon drew many 
friends and relatives from the Old 
World to this vicinity. 

It was a little later then, through the 
kind efforts of Father Stehle of LaSalle 
that $400.00 were obtained for a reli- 
gious cause at Lyons, France. Instead 
permission was given to use this money 



to build the new chapel at Perkins 
Grove in 1853. Parishioners came here 
from Sublette, West Brooklyn, and 
Maytown. 

In I860 a parish house was built in 
the Grove and Father M. J. Clarke be- 
came its first resident pastor. In 1866 
a parochial school and a teachers' resi- 
dence were also put up. Tliis school 
was probably the first of its kind in a 
rural district in the State. On Christ- 
mas, 1870, however, a fire destroyed 
these two buildings and wrote the end 
of the Perkins Grove school activities. 

During the decade of 1870 to 1880 
three divisions occurred: Sublette, West 
Brooklyn, and Maytown. The Grove 
lost its resident pastor, becoming a mis- 
sion for a few years and ultimately 
abandoned. 

The Sublette division under Father 
A. Buetter had already built a frame 
church in the Village in 1868. The 
little house across the road was bought 
for a rectory and served as that until 
1919. During his pastorate from 1870- 
1876 Father Buetter administered to 
Sublette two Sundays a month, one to 

42 




♦|W^--'j||l 



/ —I, 




Rev. Edw. J. Lehman, pastor of Our 
Lady of Perpetual Help Church 



Perkins Grove, and one to Twin Grove. 

Father Francis Schreiber, his succes- 
sor from 1876-1877, paid off the debt 
on the new church, bought new win- 
dows, and built a gallery. Besides, he 
built and paid for the first Catholic 
school in the Village of Sublette, 
served since that time by the School 
Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin. 

Various pastors served at Sublette 
between the years 1877 and 1902, 
when Father Joseph Rempe came and 
made plans for the construction of a 
new brick church. In 1902 Father C. 
Tasche took charge, remaining for 
three years and four months. Shortly 
after his arrival, he undertook the 
building of the present magnificent 
church. At the time there were only 
68 families in the parish. The church 
was built at a cost of $60,000, by all 
odds the most beautiful and expensive 
in the country at the time, and un- 
doubtedly conceived on a scale very 
elaborate for a small village, being 
massive from without and from with- 
in exquisite from every point of art. 

The new St. Mary's Church, or later 
specifically entitled Our Lady of Per- 
petual Help by Father Weitekamp, was 
finished in 1905. Father H. J. Hausser 
was the first priest to read Mass in it. 

Father C. F. Mertens served from 
1906 to 1909, reducing the debt by 
half. The estate of $9,000.00 of Jacob 
and Catherine Michel was used for the 
installation of imported, burnt-glass 
windows of German manufacture. 
Other important donations at the time 
were: the main altar, hand-carved, by 
Joseph Bettendorf; vestments, also by 
Joseph Bettendorf; set of chimes by 
Chas. E. Bettendorf, later christened by 
Bishop Muldoon in 1913. 

During his pastorate from 1909 to 
1913 Father A. A. Hagen built the 
new convent, the old one having been 
destroyed by fire, and brought the 
Sisters back to the Village. He re- 
modeled the rectory and paid off the 
remaining $3,000.00 of the church 
debt. He bought two more church bells, 
also blessed by Bishop Muldoon in 
1913. 

From 1913 to 1923 the Right Rev. 
M. A. Schumacher, now of St. Nicho- 
las parish of Aurora, served as pastor. 
In 1914 he constructed a new school 
building and a new $14,000 rectory. 
The old rectory was sold and moved 
and is now the residence of Francis 
Morrissey. In 1915 new sheds were put 
up, and in 1916 he paid off the school 
debt. In 1917 the balance of the debt 
on other church property was paid off. 
In 1920 the old cemetery was moved to 
its new line, and in 1921 the convent 
was brick-veneered and moved in line 
with the rectory. 



Monsignor M. B. Krug served from 
1923 to 1925, making various improve- 
ments in the church property. Fathers 
Wm. Dommemuth and Victor Mekitis 
each were here one year. 

Between 1926 and 1940 Father Jo- 
seph J. Weitekamp was pastor. In spite 
of the nationwide depression he man- 
aged to have the beautiful Holstein 
Rubber flooring laid throughout the 
entire church for the sum of $5,500.00. 
The window of Our Lady of Perpetual 
Help, donated by the Michael Lauer 
and Charles Becker families, was in- 
stalled in the vestibule of the church. 

The present pastor, Father Edward 
J. Lehman, came in 1940. Under his 
pastorate the church was redecorated, 
new lighting fixtures added, other im- 
provements were made about the church 
property, and a new Wick organ was 
installed at a cost of $8,000 in prepa- 
ration for the Golden Jubilee celebra- 
tion of the church in October, 1952. 

In the course of its history several 
young men have left the parish to en- 
ter the priesthood: Fathers Paul Halb- 
maier, James Lauer, O. S. B., Eugene 
Lauer, O. S. B., Wilfred Lauer, S. J., 
Robert Myers, S. V. D., and Charles 
D. Becker, M. S. C. Roger Burkardt 
is still pursuing his course of studies. 

In addition many young ladies have 
entered the convent: 

Sister M. Romana Leffelman, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Innocentia Doran, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Antonine Doran, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Liberia Hildmann, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Charitas Kuehna, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Dolorosa Theiss, O. S. F, 

Sister M. Agnes Kuehna, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Ursalita Schuhler, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Ivo Henkel, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Edwardis Lauer, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Agnes Marie Henkel, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Pius Theiss, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Rene Theiss. O. S. F. 

Sister M. Martinelle Bonnell, O. S. F. 

The present Sisters in charge of St. 
Mary's School are: 

Sister M. Adelaide. O. S. F., Superior 

Sister M. Anania, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Basilia, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Louisanne, O. S. F. 

Sister M. Albert, O. S. F. 

43 



Did You Know That? 

Items of church property turned to 
secular usage: old Catholic school 
moved to Peter Reinhart's residence; 
Francis Morrissey's home was the 
former Catholic rectory; Frank Myer's 
home, former Baptist rectory; Catherine 
Malach's home, a former Methodist 
church ? 



Sublette Village really started on the 
east side of the tracks, where the section 
house used to be? 



The oldest residential building is the 
Letl home.' 



Sublette has always produced out- 
standing teams in softball, baseball, 
and in these sports has won the league 
in various years? Also around Sublette 
horseshoes, tennis, and bowling are or 
have been favored pastimes? 



The first mile of black-top road west 
of Sublette was laid in 1951? 



A town was originally platted at 
Knox Grove with the laying out of 
lots on the county line? 



Bubby Lovering has held down the 
job of law enforcement longer than any 
of his predecessors? 



The Village Pantry, erected in 1947, 
was the first spanking new store build- 
ing erected for years in the business 
section ? 



Frank Letl, Jr., holds the qualifica- 
tion of a Field Museum taxidermist? 







U 



nion 



L^hui'cfi 



To understand the present organiza- 
tion of the Union Church of Sublette, 
one has to revert historically to the 
beginnings of another denomination. 
This was the Baptist Church, organ- 
ized in 1843 in Jonathan Peterson's 
log house with thirteen members. It 
was known as the First Baptist 
Church of Palestine Grove. To accom- 
modate the members, meetings were 
held alternately on both sides of the 
Grove. This was the first Protestant 
Church established within the con- 
fines of Sublette Township. The Rev. 
Henry Headley of La Moille was its 
first pastor. 

The present Village church was con- 
structed by the Baptists before the Civil 
War and was dedicated in November, 
1858. The building, now in the pos- 
session of the United Brethren, remains 
as when originally built with but very 
few changes. The steeple, which was 
of an unusual type of architecture to 
be found in this locality, was partly re- 
moved a few years ago. But the main 
building itself stands as when first put 
up. Stone walls which extend several 
feet from the ground level, as the 



older residents of Sublette state, were 
hauled from the quarry at Lee Center. 

By 1900 there were few Baptist 
members left. For about 10 years the 
Lutherans rented the church building 
for services. A mmister from the Chi- 
cago Road Church preached m the 
afternoons. 

Furthermore, deaths which occurred 
among the families and the moving 
away of others from the community of 
the Baptist and Congregational Churches 
left only a few Protestant families. 
Those remaining decided to join to- 
gether and form the Union Church, 
using either the Baptist or the Congre- 
gational church edifice, and selling the 
other. 

From 1910 to 1921 the Baptist 
building was rented from the Baptist 
Society. On August 25, 1921, the mem- 
bers of the Union Church bought the 
building for Si 500.00. 

In 1910 electric lights were installed. 
In 1919 a bell was hung in the tower. 
In 1935 the steeple which was getting 
worn from the weather was removed. 
It had an unusual weather vane on top 

44 




Rev. Alrin H. Smith, 
Sublette Union Church 



pastor of the 



which was five feet and six inches hori- 
zontally and 371/2 inches vertically. 

In June, 1935, a parsonage was pur- 
chased from Jacob F. Becker for the 
sum of $700.00 in order that a resident 
pastor might be employed. 

In December, 1947, the wood burn- 
ing stoves with their long pipes which 
extended the full length of the audi- 
torium and were a novelty to the visi- 
tors of the church were removed. A 
new modern oil-burning furnace was 
installed. 

In January, 1954, a general remodel- 
ing job was started. The wall paper 
was removed and the walls and ceiling 
were covered with canvas and painted. 
New asphalt floors were laid. Two 
frost-proof toilets and rest rooms 
were built in. 

From 1910 to 1921 the members 
assembled each week for Sunday school 
and sers'ices without any particular or- 
ganization having been formed. On 
August 22, 1921, a constitution was 
adopted and a charter was legally re- 
corded in the courthouse at Dixon. 

From 1910 to the present time min- 
isters were supplied by the Evangelical 
Seminary at Naperville. On some oc- 
casions ministers came from Moody 
Bible Institute in Chicago and also 
from Wheaton College, Wheaton, 
Illinois. Most of the ministers have 
been students. 

Ministers of the Sublette 
Union Church 

Reverends: Years Served: 

John Hoch 1912-13 

Orville Lozier 1913-16 

Edward Dahn 1916-17 

Philip Koenkhe 1918-19 
Frank A. Bauerman * 1920-21 

H. E. Bollinger 1921-22 

Fred P. Harris 1922-25 

John E. Hopkins 1926-27 

Philip J. Schwabenland 1927-28 
Orlando Hehn, Wilbur Harr 

(Alternate Sundays) 1928-29 

Harold D. Oescher 1929-34 

Orin M. Bailey 1934-36 

Thurman H. Tobias 1936-37 

Darrell A. Davis 1937-40 

Clarence Dehne 1940-42 

Fordyce W. Tyler 1942-43 

Roger H. Ginter 1943-45 

Charles W. Semke 1946-49 

Donald Kurtz 1949-51 

Harold E. Utzinger 1951-52 

James R. Reid 1952-54 

Clive Cook 1954-56 

Alvin H. Smith 1956-57 

(Contributed by 
W. Ralph Long) 



^"^"^*'^"^"'^'^'""'~^"^/ Do you remember? 



i \ 

i SUBLETTE CENTENNIAL \ 

\ \ 




i 
PROGRAM t 


1 August 


17 and 18, 1957 ) 

I 


■ Saturday, 


7^ 1 

August 1 7: ) 


i 1 2:00: 


Official Opening of i 
Centennial Celebra- \ 
tion ( 


( 12:30: 


Testimonial Dinner l 


) 2:00: 


Pet Parade I 


I 

I 3:00: 


Bail Games 1 


: 8:00: 

t 

) 


HANNORAMA: Pag- 1 
eant of the First 1 
Century of Sub-j 
lette's History ( 


I 1 1 :00: 


Street Dance j 


(Sunday, August 18: 


) Morning: Church Services ! 

I I 


) 2:00: 


Centennial Parade ! 


) 4:00: 


HANNORAMA j 



6:00: Lunch 



8:00: HANNORAMA 



When in 1939 there was the story of 
the weird lights in the Graveyard at 
Sublette.' 



When the Liberty Bond truck came 
to town.' 



The big fire at the Roemmich farm, 
with firemen from Sublette, Mendota, 
Amboy, and West Brooklyn on the 
scene? 



D/W You Knotv Thai? 

Henry Bansau, Jr., got only one lick- 
ing in his life from his father.' This 
was the time that he cut a good piece 
of calfskin leather to make a razor 
strap for Chas. Gardner? 



There is a man by the name of New- 
ton buried in the Peterson Cemetery, 
who was a veteran of the War of 1812 ? 



The Saturday, March 6, 1852, edi- 
tion of The Dixon Ei'etiing Telegraph 
carried a diagram of the route of the 
Illinois Central Railroad, crossing the 
Illinois River at La Salle .... touch- 
ing the southwest point of Knox Grove, 
crossing Inlet on Sec. 22, Township 
20, Range 10, about half way between 
Binghampton and Shelburn? 



Those Were the Days! 

How a Freight Ticket Read 
(property of W. Ralph Long) 
"William R. Long, Sublette, April 10, 
1856. Illinois Central Railroad Dr. 
Freight from Mendota, Illinois, to Sub- 
lette, Illinois. 1 chest ■ — wt. 80 lbs. 
Charge 25c. Expenses: Chicago, Illi- 
nois, C. B. Q. RR. to Mendota, $1.53. 
Total $1.78." 



45 






^J^oApitcLt 



o{ 



Jwitlaht 



Dr. B. H. S. Angear, who had 
owned and operated a drug store in 
Chicago from 1892-1899, graduated 
from the Illinois Medical College in 
1900. His father, Dr. John James 
M. Angear, was on the staff, as pro- 
fessor of nervous and mental diseases. 
He wanted his son "Ben" to remain 
in Chicago to start his medical career. 

However, the "new Dr. Angear" 
believed that living in a small town 
would offer a chance for better and 
greater opportunity for development 
in his life's work. A choice of a 
location was then in question. 

Fortunately, a classmate, who had 
borrowed a few dollars from Dr. 
Angear, lived in Ohio, Illinois, and 
at this time offered to pay off his small 
debt by asking Dr. Angear to come 
out from Chicago to Ohio by train. 
Then with his" father's team they 
would drive about this part of the 
country in search of a good place in 
which to establish a medical practice. 

Within a few days the two young 
doctors in a horse-drawn buggy drove 
out of Ohio early one morning in 
the year 1900. That afternoon they 
passed through La Moille and May- 
town. As they were driving eastward, 
they soon approached Sublette, and 
Dr. Angear said to his companion, 
"Stop the team! This is my town! 
Even the barns are painted and this 
country looks prosperous! I shall look 
no further." 

So within a few moments he entered 
the Village of Sublette, where he was 
to be the "family doctor" of the 
people of this vicinity during the 
following forty years. 

At once he looked for a suitable 
place for an office. This seemed to 
be the space above Andy Lauer's 
Hardware Store, but there was no 
outside stairway. When Doc insisted 
that steps be built, Andy hesitated 




^^^J!iP| p^^^^^^^H^ 







A 1910 view of the new Angear Hospital. Standing on the porch are the 
first two nurses, Mary McLaughlin and Kathryn McKeever, with Dr. and Mrs. 
Angear 



and said, "See here, young feller, 
how do I know you won't be out of 
here in a couple of weeks, and I 
don't need the stairs!" 

Consequently, out of the sum of 
$25.00 which Dr. Angear possessed 
when he so recently left his Chicago 
home, he paid cash for an outside 
stairway to be built in order to make 
it possible for the patients to reach 
his office. There was then exactly 
enough cash left with which to pay 
the hotel in advance for one week's 
board. Having no office furniture, 
he made some out of packing boxes, 
and with the small amount of medi- 
cine from his satchel, he set up the 
practice of medicine in the Village 
of Sublette. 

There was at this time an elderly 
doctor practicing here who retired a 
short while later. His name was Dr. 
Owens. 

Pete Reinhart and Henry Roem- 
mich were Dr. Angear's first patients. 

Mrs. Angear and daughter Evelyn 
had remained in their home in 
Chicago until fall when there was 
assurance that Sublette really needed 
a doctor. Their first home here was 
in the room adjoining Dr. Angear's 
office. 

It seems that each year the territory 
to be covered about Sublette became 
more widespread, and a second team 
was necessary for the doctor, with a 
driver at all times. The hardship of visit- 
ing patients over such a scattered area 
was responsible for the idea of build- 
ing the "Angear Hospital" in 1910. 

46 



From this time on the practice of 
obstetrics became more easily and 
safely managed. During the first years 
after the building of the hospital, 
plans were made to perfect a method 
of painless childbirth. On December 
1, 1914, the first "twilight sleep" baby 
was born. The parents were Mr. and 
Mrs. Pete Koehler and the child, 
Lucille Koehler, who is now Mrs. 
Dearl Ellsworth of Mendota. 

Within a few years Dr. Angear's 
method of child delivery became so 
popular that expectant mothers came 
from many surrounding states to the 
"Angear Hospital" for maternity care. 

So, after two score years of faith- 
ful service for the people of our 
community. Dr. Angear retired from 
medical practice in the spring of 1940. 
(Written by Mabel Vincent) 



Do you remember? 

When Doctor Smith, with full beard, 
came down the street and gave the kids 
a penny for a kiss? 



In 1902 Dr. Jacob B. Barton pub- 
lished "Dr. J. B. Barton's Memoran- 
dum Book" or "Dr. Barton's Family 
Remedies," advertising and recom- 
mending his famous Golden Ointment 
and Rhubarb Cordial for every kind 
of ailment from piles to pleurisy? 




Dr. Ansfear in his new Rambler 
coming home from one of his many 
sick calls to the countryside 



Autobiographical Statistics: 

Dr. Benjamin Horace Smith Angear 

Born Jan. 29, 1871, at Fort Madison, 

Iowa; 
Moved to Chicago when 11 years old; 
Became a graduate in pharmacy in 

1892; 
Owned a drug store in Chicago from 

1893 to 1899; 
Graduated in medicine in 1900 from 

the Ilhnois Medical College of 

Chicago; 
Moved to Sublette, 111., Oct. 15, 1900; 
Joined the Masonic Lodge in 1902; 
Built my hospital in 1910; 
Appointed local surgeon for III. Cen- 
tral R. R. in 1920; 
First "twilight sleep" baby born Dec. 

1, 1914. 



My father was born in England and 
came to this country when 9 years 
old; 

My mother was the first white child 
born in Racine County, Wisconsin; 

My father and mother were both prin- 
cipals of schools in Berlin, Wis.; 

My father was commissioned by Pres- 
ident Lincoln to be quarantine sur- 
geon of Pensacola Harbor during 
the Civil War; 

My mother's father was Benjamin 
Smith, her name being before her 
marriage Sophia Smith. 



I am a member of the Masons and 
wish to be buried by the Masons; 

I am a member of the A. M. A.; 

I am a member of the 111. State Med- 
ical Society; 

I am a member of the Lee County 
Medical Society. 



PIONEER DOCTORS 
Dr. Richard F. Adams, whose bride 
was Miss Deborah Ingals, was the 
practicing physician whose coming was 
a great relief to the settlers. Driving 
over the prairies through the sloughs, 
fording streams often with gun on 
shoulder in the troublesome times, he 
doctored to all. In after years many 
spoke of the benetits they received. He 
died in Denver, Colorado, and his re- 
mains were interred in the Lee Center 
Cemetery, amid the friends and scenes 
of his earlier years. Dr. Welsh, later 
of Galesburg, and Dr. Ephraim Ingals 
of Chicago, were among the young 
physicians. Dr. Charles Gardner also 
traversed the prairies in sunshine and 
storm. His experiences have been 
graphically written by his daughter, 
Mrs. E. E. Smith nee Seraphine Gard- 
ner, and published in the Recollect'wtis 
of the Pioneers. He is laid to rest in 
the family burial lot near the scenes 
of his first "home seeking." Many 
memories cluster around the lives of 
these early doctors. 



Did Yon Know That? 

Medicine shows were common sights 
on Main Street? 



Do you remember? 

Who owned the first auto around 
Sublette? 



FAMILY DOCTOR 
What a pity it is that the old family 
doctor, whom we all looked upon as a 
sort of God, seems to be more and 
more a thing of the past. This is an 
age of specialists, and this has so di- 
vided the human body that we almost 
need a dozen doctors to keep up along 
the healthy road. 

As Dr. Alexis Carrel has so well 
stated the fact, I quote him: "When 
a specialist, from the beginning of his 
career, confines himself to a minute 
part of the body, his knowledge of the 
rest is so rudimentary that he is in- 
capable of thoroughly understanding 
even that part in which he specializes." 
The grand family doctor, about 
whom so many of us know, was a four- 
square human being who knew the en- 
tire body and all its works. And he had 
sympathy and understanding. He gave 
as little medicine as possible, but he 
usually knew what to do in any emer- 
gency, and he wasn't afraid to give 
plenty of cheer to his patients, and that 
without a feel 

(SELECTED) 

47 



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Harold J. Sonntag 

and 

Leo W. Hochstatter, Props. 

Distributors of 

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Dial 2214 Mendota 



Best Wishes 

for your 

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Sublette 
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^cnoolA 



HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN SUBLETTE TOWNSHIP 

Mrs. Ellice Dinges ' 

"School days, school days. 
Dear old golden rule days" 

To many of the citizens of Sublette and the surrounding community these 
familiar words bring back fond memories of days spent in the Village School, 
situated one half block off U. S. Highway 52 on the east side of town. The old 
two-story red brick building, now almost one hundred years old, has long 
been symbolic of our community's interest in the education of its youth. 

School records, though somewhat sketchy, give us a picture of the history 
of education in the Sublette area. The earliest record available seems to be the 
one found in an old edition of the History of Lee County, pages 252-253. 
This account reads as follows: "The school land was sold about 1850 and the 
town was soon divided into ten districts. On each of these is a good school- 
house. There is also a school in connection with the Catholic Church at the 
Village. As early as 1841 there was a Sunday school started in the Tourtillott 
neighborhood. This was not in connection with any church. The prime movers 
in this work were Mr. Tourtillott and Mrs. Angier. It was not continued 
more than a year or two. The first school was in a log house on Tom Fessen- 
den's farm. The next was in a slab building on the farm of Thomas Tourtil- 
lott. This was a structure used for preemption purposes and was never in- 
tended for a schoolhouse. It was afterwards known as a 'sheep pen.' Marie 
Codman of New York was the first teacher here. The next school in this 
vicinity was taught in winter by Joseph Carey in Mrs. Tourtillott's house, and 
the next of any importance in Mrs. Richardson's house by John Bacon about 
1850. The third school in the town of Sublette was a log house on Section 5. 



48 



Mrs. Clute, a sister of Jonathan Peterson, taught the first summer school here 
about 1844. The winter school held here for several years was quite important, 
being well attended by an advanced class of students." 

Over in the eastern part of the Township, at Knox Grove was a vacant 
log house, the first built in that neighborhood, and inhabited by William 
Knox, where school was first taught by Stephen Barton. The second term was 
kept in a "lean to" about 12 by 16 feet, attached to Daniel Pratt's house. The 
first Sunday school was organized in these same narrow quarters. This was in 
the summer of 1847. Later meetings and Sunday school were conducted at Levi 
Camp's log house until the log schoolhouse was erected. The first schoolhouse 
in Knox Grove settlement was built on the county line on the north side of the 
Chicago and Galesburg Road in the year 1848 and accommodated pupils from 
Sublette, West Brooklyn and Mendota Townships. For a number of years it 
also served the purpose of a church. 

According to an official record in the Recorder's office in the Lee County 
courthouse at Dixon, Illinois, school property was purchased from the Illinois 
Central Railroad Company in 1861. Said property is described as follows; 
"real estate lying and being in the town of Sublette, in the County of Lee and 
State of Illinois, particularly described in the recorded plot of said town as 
lots Eleven and Twelve of block number Five for school purposes. " 

This transaction was carried out for the consideration of ten dollars be- 
tween the school trustees, namely, John Wood, Daniel Baird, and Sylvanus 
Peterson, and the Illinois Central Railroad Company, represented by William 
H. Osborne, company president, on July 25, 1861. This record bears the 
official seal of one Peter Daggy, notary public. 



KUEBEL'S 
STANDARD SERVICE 

Main & Mason 

Amboy, Illinois 

Phone 101 

Atlas Tires, Batteries 

and Accessories 
Washing & Greasing 



■^^ Jjff ,»»/ ^yu^, ii~JSu ^oc^ ^jut/L' ,tu^ ^/^4tfj^^ 

J ^ JO,/ I.„uUiJ Jrjm A~ biatiitn^ Jty,,^ /^LJ . /»vrj/ il/lM^ /^ .^^ j^^ 4^ ^<«»v ^ Jt. ^-^i.^ 






Photostat of Original Document describing the transaction uherebr school 
land teas purchased from the I. C. in July, 1861 

The ten districts in the Township with the exception of the 'Village Schooi 
(District No. 103) operated as one-room rural schools, each having a three- 
man schoolboard, and employing one teacher for all eight grades. County rec- 
ords show that these schools eventually closed, one by one, until in 1946 the 
last to close its doors was District No. 106. Records list the dates of closing in 
this order: District No. 100, in 1939; District No. 101, no school; District No. 
102, in 1934; District No. 104, in 1922; District No. 105, in 1945; District 
No. 106, in 1946; District No. 107, in 1942; District No. 107, in 1942; Dis- 



Compliments of 

NATIONAL FARM 
LOAN ASSN. or AMBOY 

M. W. Kessinger, 

Sec'y.-Treas. 

Phone 333 

Amboy, Illinois 



CLASSON'S 
SUPER FOODS 



Mendota, Illinois 

High in Value 
Low in Price 



49 



Compliments of 

MENDOTA 
MONUMENT COMPANY 

606 South Main St. 

Mendota, Illinois 

Telephone 7276 

Artistic Memorials 



Compliments of 

GISH 
JEWELRY & GIFT SHOP 

two stores to serve you 



Mendota 



Amboy 



Compliments of 

MERRITT 

FUNERAL 

HOME 

Mendota, Illinois 



Townsbjp Schools and Teachers as of Jan. 1, 1914: Gentry School, 
District No. 100, Hermina Hecker; Ingals, District No. 101, (no school); 
Chnk. District No. 102, Carolyn Kuehna; Sublelte. District No. 103, 
Lulu B. Long, Verna Wood; Austin, District No. 104, Clara Erbes; Ells- 
u'orth. District No. 105, Irene Harvey; Angier. District No. 106, Hen- 
rietta Erbes; Reis. District No. 107, Marie Koesler; Barlletl, District No. 
108, Marjorie Snider; Henkel, District No. 109, Lydia E. Steder. 



trict No. 108, in 1941; District No. 109, in 1942. 

With the closing of the one-room schools, the children were transported 
to schools in towns nearby, many entering the Sublette I\iblic School, District 
No. 103. 

The Village School itself operated as a two-room school under the County 
school system. Two teachers were employed, one for the upper grades and the 
other for the lower grades. However, for short periods of time throughout its 
history, it, too, has operated as a one-room rural school when the enrollment did 
not merit the expenditure of money to employ two teachers. 

In the spring of 1949 the Amboy Unit District was formed by a vote of 
the people. Legal organization was completed by July 1, 1949, and the first 
classes were held beginning September 1, 1949, as the Amboy Community Unit, 
District No. 272, Lee County, Illinois. 

By this time the people of the community began to feel the need for a 
new school in Sublette. The school building, now old and badly in need of 
repair, presented the first problem. To repair it would mean only a temporary 
solution. The now ever-increasing enrollment plus a constantly mount- 
ing teacher load made it almost imperative that the citizens look ahead and 
build. And so with the future in mind, a School Survey Committee was formed 
in the Amboy Community Unit, District No. 272, to study the educational needs 
of the area. Those from Sublette serving on this committee in the interest of 
education included: George Henrich, Jr., Wilfred Ehlbeck, Ivan Politsch, 
George Thier, Jr., Clark Angier, William Florschuetz, Harold July, Jr., Mrs. 
Ralph Ultch. 

As a result of their intensive research and effort the voters went to the 
polls on November 5, 1955, and voted to build four new elementary schools 
in the District and to construct an addition to Central School in Amboy. One of 
these elementary schools was to be erected in Sublette on the new Henry Roem- 
mich property just west of the Sublette Community Building. 

The new four-room school, now nearly completed, will be ready for oc- 
cupancy by September 1, 1957. How fitting that, as we close a century of his- 
tory in our little Village, our youth should begin a new century of learning in 
a new school. Sublette can justly be proud of its progress in education through- 
out the years as the century draws to a close. 

Among the many teachers who have given of both time and talents to 
carry out our educational program are these names: (we regret that the record 
is incomplete) : Mrs. Lulu Long Walker, Mrs. Verna Wood Thier, R. J. Absher, 
Lydia Steder Abele, Mrs. Mary Hyde Meeks, O. E. Gibson, Mrs. Hermina 
Hecker Carson, Mrs. Marie Struber Carnahan, Hilda Bansau, Clara Erbes, Al- 
evia Price, Mrs. Ethelene Montavon Rogers, Dollee Fauth, Hermione Vincent, 
Irene Bansau, Vera Helen Fox, Mildred July Olson, Mrs. Ellice Setchell Dinges, 
Catherine Sampson, Mrs. Marie Barlow Dunphy, Olivetta Bownan, Mrs. Ship- 
pert Peterson, Mabel Beetz Gleim, Erna Hoffman, Hattie Brown, Winifred 
Kaepke, Rev. William Z. Dial, Gilbert Lehman, Leo Leathers, Rev. Charles 
Rhodes, Cecilia Blackburn Payne, Alwilda March Swisher, Clara Stilz, John O. 
Shaulis, Sr., Clem Thompson, Mr. Klontz. 

Among those who helped to keep the educational wheels turning are Frank 
Myers and Francis Seloover, our bus drivers. Mr. Myers has been a familiar 
figure at the wheel of a schoolbus for more than twenty years. We are indebted 
to these men for our children's safety throughout the years. 

Mr. Myers and Elmer Stouffer, Sr, (now of Amboy), will be remembered 
as faithful custodians of our building. 

On January 26, 1934, the Sublette Parent-Teachers' Association was formed 
and has been an active body in the interest of the school ever since. Officers for 
the current year are: President: Mrs. Dorothy Sanders; Vice-President: William 
Florschuetz; Secretary: Mrs. Dorothy Ehlbeck; Program Chairman: Mrs. June 
Billings. 



50 




The pupils of the Sublette I'uhiic Srlinol (ir.iinnl I'XI.l. The teachers are Clara 
Stilz and John O. Shaulis. The pupils that can he identified are as fidloics: left 
to right, FROIST ROW : ?. Earl Lefjelman. Esther Vltch. ?. Inez liieber. Ted Wolf. 
LeroY Stephenitch. Raymond Gagstetter. Earl Bettenditrf. Clara Schueiger, ?, 
George Smith. Adolf Letl. MIDDLE ROW: ?. Art Bettendorf. ?. Hilda Ransau. ?. 
Evelyn Angear. Cecil Leffelman. ?. Ruth Easter. Harold Reis. Howard Reis, ?. 
Pearl Riddle. BACK ROW : ?. Alfred White. Fred Bettendorf. Leonore Oberhelman, 
Irving Easter, Genieve Koesler. Roy Biddle. Florence Reis, Rosie Smith. ?, ?. Are 
these correct? Are you able to supply the missing names? 



Congratulations to 

Sublette on its 100th 

Birthday 

A. D. "Don" ORTGIESEN 
Agency 

Amboy, III. 
Phones: Office 188 

Home 442 



SCHMITZ 
IMPLEMENT CO. 




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Phone 4141 



Mendota 



SHAFER MOTOR SALES 

Ford Sales and Service 
Telephone 40 
Amboy, Illinois 



St. Mary's Catholic School, built by Msgr. Schumacher in 1914. The first two 
graduates were Hilda Malach Rothwell and Jerald Rapp. It is under the direction 
of the School Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee 

51 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 

SUBLETTE LODGE NO. 349, 

A. F. & A. M. 

W. Ralph Long 
Masonry was introduced to Sub- 
lette on September 18, 1859, when 
an article of agreement to form a 
Masonic Lodge was made by the fol- 
lowing Master Masons: Thomas S. 
Angier, James Tourtillott, Prescott 
Bartlett, Daniel Barton, B. B. Viele, 
Benj. F. Berkley, H. W. Warren, 
William Tourtillott, and Jacob D. 
Tourtillott. The first meeting was 
held on January 31, I860, in the sec- 
ond story of Jesse Hale's store, which 
later, up to 1938, was occupied by A. 
J. Lauer and Son Hardware and Im- 
plement. The first officers were: 
Thomas S. Angier, W. M.; Wm. 
Tourtillott, S. W.; Jacob Tourtillott, 
J. W.; H. H. Warren. Secy. Pro tern.; 
Daniel Baird, Treas. Pro tern.; Daniel 
Barton, S. D.; B. J. Berkley, J. D.; 
Prescott Bartlett, Tyler Pro tem. 
Visiting brethren were: R. B. Veile, 
W. M., of Lee Center Lodge No. 
146 and William T. Morgan, Brook- 
lyn Lodge No. 282. 

The first petition for membership 
by initiation was presented that night 
by Nelson J. Swartwout and Henry 
C. Chapman. The first initiation fees 
were S7.00, $3.00, and $5.00 for the 
first, second, and third degrees re- 
spectively. The first ballot was spread 
March 6, 1860, for Nelson J. Swart- 
wout and Henry C. Chapman. The 
first work of the fellowcraft was con- 
ferred on Nelson J. Swartwout on 
April 3, 1860. Ten days later he was 
the first to be raised to the sublime 
degree of Master Mason. On Aug. 
28 of the same year a code of by- 
laws was drafted for the Lodge. A 
charter was accepted on October 23, 
1860. 

Not being satisfied with their hall, 
on March 11, 1867, they leased and 
moved into the second story of the 
new brick school of District 10. Then 
on Sept. 10, 1867, they moved back 
into the Jesse Hale store building. On 
Mar. 23, 1869, Joseph Hodges, Oliver 
Wood, and Charles Ingals were ap- 
pointed a committee to provide for 
a permanent hall, and shortly later 
arrangements were made for raising 
funds to buy a site for a new build- 
ing. A lot was bought of Jacob B. 
Barton, and on this a hall was built 
at a cost of $2500. On August 16, 

1870, the Masons held their first 
meeting in their own new temple. A 
drug store was the first business to 
occupy the first floor. In spite of the 
great debt the Lodge was carrying 
in paying for their new hall, it re- 
sponded to the call for help at the 
time of the Chicago fire. October 24, 

1871. Other pleas came from those 



suffering yellow fever in the South, 
from many in distress because of 
floods, cyclones and floods, and later 
from the widows and orphans of the 
Cherry mine disaster. All were 
answered. 

On Sept. 7. 1879, the Lodge per- 
mitted the Y. M. C. A. to place its 
library in the storeroom until they 
could find suitable quarters. 

The Masonic Temple is a hallowed 
spot for a Mason. He visualizes the 
altar at which he first grasped the 
principles of craftmanship, the fond 
association rendered in times of need, 
the cordial fellowship around a 
simple board. To him this Temple 
is not a club; it is a shrine; not a 
place of entertainment, but a source 
of inspiration. Friendship does not 
happen. Under the inspiration of Ma- 
sonry, which views the human race 
as one family, each man exchanges 
views with all others and serves all. 

Sublette Lodge has never had a 
large membership. It has never con- 
sidered conferring degrees as its 
principal business, but rather the as- 
sociating together of congenital 
spirits for social and beneficial pur- 
poses. About September, 1922, 
through the cooperation of the wives, 
sisters, and mothers of the members, 
an Order of Eastern Star was orga- 
nized. 

In 1932 the Sublette Lodge helped 
to honor the memory of the Father of 



our Country by contributing to the 
Masonic Shrine built in honor of 
George Washington in Washington, 
D. C, to commemorate his 200th 
birthday. 

The oldest member of the Sublette 
Lodge who was initiated, passed, and 
raised into this Lodge is Brother B. 
H. S. Angear, who entered on July 
26, 1904. The oldest living member 
of this Lodge is Ben F. Davis, now 
residing in Chicago. 

Those who have served as Master 
are as follows: 

1860-1863: Thomas S. Angier 

1864: Wm. D. Tourtillott 

1865-1866: Thomas S. Angier 

1867: Wm. D. Tourtillott 

1868: Benj. F. Berkley 

1869: Wm. D. Tourtillott 

1870: Oliver A. Wood 

1871: Wm. D. Tourtillott 

1872: Philip Hoffman 

1873: Wm. D. Tourtillott 

1874: Thomas S. Angier 

1875: Levi Mead 

1876: Charles W. Ingals 

1877: Harrison R. Morse 

1878: Charles H. Ingals 

1879-1885: Joseph H. Ayers 

1886-1887: Joseph S. Cook 

1888-1889: Joseph H. Ayers 

1890: Thomas S. Angier 

1891-1895: Charles H. Ingals 

1896: W. R. Owens 

1897-1898: Joseph H. Ayers 

1899: Charles H. Kelly 

1900: Charles H. Ingals 




Irving Crauford. father of Mrs. Henry Bansau. holding Ella and Bertha 
Bansau hy the hand, on the porch of his store. This building is noiv the postoffice, 
owned by the Masons 

52 



1901: Edwin T. Leith 

1902-1903: William R. Owens 

1904: Edwin T. Leith 

1905: William R. Owens 

1906-1909: B. H. S. Angear 

1910: A. F. Jewell 

1911: B. H. S. Angear 

1912: A. F. Jewell 

1913: George N. Paige 

1914: A. F. Jewell 

1915: George N. Paige 

1916-1917: Ed. Wolf 

1918-1919: L. H. Paige 

1920-1922: Samuel Leffelman 

1923: J. W. Payne 

1924: J. P. Graham 

1925-1926: Roy W. Long 

1927: Charles Williams 

1928: Arthur Tourtillott 

1929: Elmer Stouffer 

1930: Cecil Leffelman 

1931: W. Ralph Long 

1932-1933: Rav Gooch 

1934: Charles Williams 

1935: Cecil Leffelman 

1936-1937: Arthur Tourtillott 

1938: Cecil Leffelman 

1939: Roy L. Leffelman 

1940-1942: Fred Roemmich 

1943-1946: Norman P. Fauble 

1947-1950: Grover C. Roloff 

1951: Ralph W. Ultch 

1952: Norman P. Fauble 

1953-1954: Clarence J. Billings 

1955-1957: George J. Henrich, Jr. 

Officers for 1957: 
George J. Henrich, Jr.: 

Worshipful Master 
Lawrence C. Rapp: Senior Warden 
Wilfred H. Ehlbeck: Junior Warden 
Will F. Ultch: Treasurer 
W. Ralph Long: Secretary 
Ralph W. Ultch: Chaplain 
Clarence J. Billings: Senior Deacon 
Norman P. Fauble: Junior Deacon 
Elmer G. Stouffer: Senior Steward 
Charles Williams: Junior Steward 
Roy G. Long: Marshal 
George J. Henrich, Sr.: Tyler 

History of Sublette Chapter No. 895 

Order of Eastern Star 

W. Ralph Long 

Sublette Chapter was instituted on 
December 28, 1922, by Charles H. 
Soelke, Worthy Grand Patron of 
Illinois, and Sister Anna Rapp, Grand 
Representative of Georgia, acting as 
Secretary; Sister Jean Terry, Past Ma- 
tron of Alamo Chapter, as Grand 
Marshal; Brother Hubert Grissell of 
La Moille as Grand Warder; and 
Brother Charles Daugherty of La 
Moille as Grand Sentinel, and Sister 
Dora Soelke, Grand Representative of 
Louisiana, as Grand Chaplain. 

The following officers were in- 
stalled: Mrs. Lillian Graham, Worthy 
Matron; Mr. Paul Graham, Worthy 
Patron; Mrs. Lydia Ultch, Associate 
Matron; Miss Hilda Bansau, Secretary; 



Mrs. Laura Letl, Treasurer; Mrs. Ad- 
die Etzel, Conductress; Mrs. Mary 
Leffelman, Associate Conductress; 
Mrs. Augusta Stiltz, Chaplain; Mr. J. 
G. Etzel, Marshall; Mr. Sam Leffel- 
man, Organist; Miss Lina Clark, 
Adah; Miss Mary Clark, Ruth; Mrs. 
Mary Henrich, Esther; Mrs. Hattie 
Long, Martha; Miss Ella Bansau, 
Electa; Mr. Roy G. Long, Warder; 
Mr. Will F. Ultch, SentineL 

The Worthy Grand Patron asked 
La Moille Chapter 567 to exemplify 
the ritualistic work; Miss Ella Bansau 



Year: 

1923 
1924 
1925 
1926 
1927 
1928 
1929 
1930 
1931 
1932 
1933 
1934 
1935 
1936 
1937 
1938 
1939 
1940 
1941 
1942 
1943 
1944 
1945 
1946 
1947 
1948 
1949 
1950 
1951 
1952 
1953 
1954 
1955 
1956 
1957 



Worthy Matrons: 

Mrs. Lillian Graham 

Mrs. Lydia Ultch 

Mrs. Mary Leffelman 

Miss May Clark 

Miss Lina Clark 

Mrs. Rita Leffelman 

Mrs. Minnie Mossholder 

Mrs. Erma Williams 

Mrs. Elizabeth Angier 

Mrs. Helen E. Long 



Mrs. Mildred Bailey 

Mrs. Ruth Kerchner 

Mrs. Lena Biddle 

Mrs. Helen E. Long 



Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 

Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Mrs. 
Miss 



Lelia Ultch 
Helen E. Long 
Margaret Bybee 
Helen Clark 
Lela Ultch 
Alma Oester 
Shirley Henrich 
June Billings 
Dorothy C. Long 



Present Officers for 1957: 

Miss Dorothy C. Long: 

Mr. W. Ralph Long: 

Mrs. Helen Clark: 

Mr. Francis Bybee: 

Mrs. Minnie Mossholder: 

Mr. George ]. Henrich, Jr.: 

Mrs. Lela' UJtch: 

Mrs. Margaret Bybee: 

Mrs. June Billings: 

Mrs. Alma Oester: 

Mrs. Lola Long: 

Miss Lina Clarke: 

Mrs. Evelyn Ostewig: 

Mrs. Dorothy Ehlbeck: 

Mrs. Lydia Ultch: 

Mrs. Tillie July: 

Mrs. Shirley Henrich: 

Mr. Paul Mossholder: 

Mr. Orville July: 



and Mr. Roy G. Long were initiated 
in regular form. Following the meet- 
ing a banquet was served at the home 
of Mr. and Mrs. John Payne. 

On October 2, 1923, The Grand 
Chapter granted the Charter and on 
October 8, 1923, it was presented by 
Mrs. McCreedy of Earlville. Mrs. 
Jean Terry was Grand Marshal at the 
institution and our instructress for a 
number of years, followed by Mrs. 
Emma Jackson, Mrs. Florence Hen- 
nick, Mrs. Vivian Carlon, and Mrs. 
Carrie Mitchell. 

Worthy Patrons: 

Mr. Paul Graham 



Mr. Roy G. Long 

Mr. Sam Leffelman 
Mr. Leslie R. Long 

Mr. Elmer G. Stouffer 

Mr. Cecil V. Leffelman 
Mr. Leslie R. Long 
Mr. W. Ralph Long 



Mr. Elmer G. Stouffer 
Mr. Arthur Tourtillott 
Mr. W. Ralph Long 

Mr. Grover C. Roloff 



Mr. George J. Henrich, Jr. 
Mr. Clarence J. Billings 
Mr. W. Ralph Long 

Worthy Matron 

Worth) Patron 

Associate Matron 

Associate Patron 

Secretary 

Treasurer 

Conductress 

Associate Conductress 

Chaplain 

Marshal 

Organist 

Adah 

Ruth 

Esther 

Martha 

Electa 

Warder 

Sentinel 

Color Bearer. 



53 



"SALUTATIONS TO SUBLETTE - 






MAY THE NEXT CENTURY BE EVEN BETTER!" 




The 1st National Bank in Amboy 






Member of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 




Amboy, Illinois 






Officers 






L. L. Brink, President 






C. W. Robbins, Vice President 






Norman E. Swain, Executive Vice President and 


Cashie 


r 


Elna S. Dominetta, Assistant Cashier 






Otto Stephenitch, Assistant Cashier 






Directors 






L. L. Brink 


L. S. 


Griffith 


Leo Dempsey 


E. M. 


Sullivan 


C. W. Robbins 


James 


Marchesi 


George W. Pankhurst 


Norman Swain 



54 



Scourges on Sublette Settlers: 

Prairie Fires 

Banditti of the Prairies 



In the decade between 1840 and 1830, the two most dreaded affhctions of 
this territory were the sight of a prairie fire and the visit by the bandits of the 
prairies. From very early records much can be told of both. 

Some years when the settlers had hardly finished their haying, and before 
such a thing was expected, a thoughtless person might light a hre that would go 
racing over the country with the speed of the wind, burning everything in its 
path. The wagonroads through this country would not stop it. All stacks, build- 
ings, fences, and so forth, that had not been plowed around or back-fired — as 
the term was coined to describe this kmd of plowing — were soon reduced to 
ashes. 

However, it seems that in 1845 one of the worst prairie lires of all times 
swept through the Sublette settlement. One description of it runs as follows; 
"After dark my family noticed the light of a lire, so far off that it would not 
reach until morning. About midnight we were aroused by a noise and looking 
out the window saw the prairie southwest and west in a blaze of tire. It 
seemed that the flames were nearly thirty feet in height. We proceeded to arouse 
all the neighbors that we could and while we were on this mission the wind 
changed the course of the lire and it swept by without doing any damage to any 
of the buildings but had burned the entire prairie land lying to the south of our 
homes." 

In 1877 Thomas S. Angier still remembered the above event and was able 
to write descriptively of it for a local newspaper: "Early in October, 1845, the 
settlers were visited by such a tire. No one had thought it possible that lire should 
run so early. The wind had blown strong from the southwest all day and did not 
lull at sundown. After dark my family noticed in the southwest the light of a 
fire, but thought it so far off that it would not reach them until morning. That 
night a family of emigrants from Tennessee were camped in their wagon on a 
small piece of breaking, northwest of my house, their team in the stable. They 
were all sick except a small girl of about twelve years old. 

"About midnight my wife was aroused by loud knocking and other noise. 
Upon getting up she found this girl at the door nearly frightened to death. Her 
folks thought that judgment day or night had come, and that the world was burn- 
ing up. Going out of doors she saw the whole country southwest and west in a 
perfect blaze of fire, some of it as high as twenty feet. My wife started for the 
nearest home one half mile away and aroused the inmates. This was the first they 
knew of the fire. She then went a fourth of a mile further and found them sound 
asleep. They were all thankful to be aroused as they had property of their own 
exposed that would have been destroyed. Not getting the help wanted, upon re- 
turning home she saw that the worst danger was past, as the main hre passed a 
little northwest of the buildings, and the breaking with the plowing around the 
building broke the force of the fire. It passed on to Chicago. I was in Chicago 
at the time with a team, and when I left there and came on to the prairie it was 
all burned over, and I found it so all the way home. I never knew where the fires 
started, but it must have been a long way to the southwest of the town, and passed 
through it cornerwise on its way, and spread over the whole country." 

Concerning the second of the scourges visited upon the early settlers, it will 
suffice to mention only a few pertinent facts about the Banditti of the Prairies. 
The settlers here were considerably troubled by this band of thieves and murderers 
well known throughout Lee and Ogle Counties. They were supposed to have had 
one of their places of rendezvous about three and a half miles southwest of Sub- 
lette Village. Besides stealing horses and movable property from the pioneers, 
they also preyed upon the newly established stores in the Village. Even as late as 
1858 they robbed Jesse Hale's store in Sublette. It was quite natural, then, that 
most of the settlers of Sublette Township should join the new organization, called 
"An Association for Furthering the Causes of Justice," officially adopted on No- 
vember 4, 1844. Under this security all settlers enjoyed a great deal of protection 
against the bandits. 

55 



Congratulations 

SUBLETTE 

on your 

1 00th BIRTHDAY 

LAWTON BROS. 

DAIRY 
DIXON, ILLINOIS 

Compliments of 




110 First Street 
Dixon, Illinois 



Congratulations 

BOB'S TAVERN 

Robert Weber 
MENDOTA, ILLINOIS 



Don I. 
DINGES 
Signs 

"Signs of a beHer century ahead" 

Truck Lettering 

Outdoor Signs 

Silk Screen Printing 

Phone 35 
SUBLETTE 



ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO 

O Little Town of Sublette, since the good old days of yore, 

Is now making history, in which our fathers swore. 

That they would make a settlement, when they first saw this land. 

With the help of God Almighty, as He prospered their hand. 

They had nothing much to work with, except their faith in God, 
And the yoke of mighty oxen, as they broke the prairie sod. 
They did not have much money, and there weren't any banks, 
But they gathered every Sabbath, to offer God their thanks. 

The first years were the hardest, but they never slacked their toil, 
As they labored for the harvest, from the rich and fertile soil. 
Looking ever forward, with faith and hope m God, 
Building homes faithfully, of wood and stone and sod. 

Wild fruits were plentiful, wild game was everywhere. 
Free for the taking, nothing today can compare, 
With the liberty and freedom, they had those days of yore. 
That are gone now forever; they shall see it never more. 

Our fathers who have gone before us, to their blessed rest. 
Sleeping now in Jesus, upon His Loving Breast, 
Let all of us remember, and in reverence hold their names. 
For .what they did before us, to conquer these vast plains. 

Today we have here gathered, to honor our Little Town; 
Though it is small and humble, it still has some renown. 
Some of us will remember, a few short years ago. 
When a dirigible from Germany, flew over us so low 

In honor of the citizens, who were German born. 
Descendants of the fathers, from the homeland that was torn. 
To the land of freedom, beneath the deep blue skies. 
Where they found land and liberty, before their very eyes. 

O Little Town of Sublette, you are our very own. 
Though many of us have scattered, and some no more will roam, 
Down memory lane we wander, as we travel to and fro. 
With visions of the folks that were, a hundred years ago. 

Charles L. Bee 
Amboy, Illinois 



Congratulations 
Sublette 

Catholic Order 

of Foresters 

Court No. 1382 

West Brooklyn, 111. 



PAUL H. MARCH 

"Helping you to 

live better" 

Phone 
Sublette 22400 

Amboy, HI. 




Did You Know That? 



The Graf Zeppelin flew over the W. 
Ralph Long farm on July 28, 1929, 
at 3:05 P. M., and a couple minutes 
later directly over Sublette.' 

56 



Enjoy 

PURITY 
ICE CREAM 

At 

Sublette's 

100th Birthday Party 



Village, Township, and County Chains of Command 




VILLAGE PRESIDENTS OR 
MAYORS FROM 1893 to 1957: 



Incumbent Village Officers: back row. Alderman. V. O. Bonnell; Mayor. 
Walter F. Erbes; Aldermen. George Vaessen and Harold Bonnell; Village Clerk. 
Cletus Henkel. Front row. Aldermen. Ernest Sutton. Raymond Dinges and F. J. 
MorrisseY 



SUBLETTE TOWNSHIP 
SUPERVISORS: 1897-1957 

(Elections every two years) 

1897-1903: George J. Barth 

1903-1907: A. J. Tourtillott 

1907-1913: John P. Malach 

1913-1922: William Brucker (who 
resigned on October 17, and Les- 
lie R. Long was appointed to fill 
vacancy) 

1922-1925: Leslie R. Long 

1925-1931: Edward Wolf 

(Elections every four years) 

1931-1955: Charles J. Kuebel 

1955-1959: Wilson Roemmich 



CENSUS REPORTS: 
SUBLETTE: 1900 

Village: 

Township: 1004 



PRESENT TOWNSHIP OFFICERS: 
SUPERVISOR: Wilson Roemmich 

TOWN CLERK: Rosalie Full 

TWP. ROAD COMMISSIONER: 

Alvie Full 

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE: Floyd 
Pry and Gerald LefFelman 

ASSESSOR: Andrew Koehler 



Did Yon Knotv That? 

Original jail or lock-up still stands? 
It used to have more service, especially 
after a local dance? 



1910 


1920 


1930 


1940 


1950 


287 


262 


261 


282 


290 


903 


858 


868 


834 


763 



ROSTER OF COUNTY 
OFFICIALS — NOW AND THEN: 



Circuit Clerk: 
Circuit Judge: 
County Judge: 
Count)' Clerk: 
County Treasurer: 
State's Attorney: 
County Sheriff: 
County Coroner: 
County Supt. of Schools: 
County Supt. of Highways 
County Surveyor: 



1957 
John O. Shaulis, Jr. 
Robert L. Bracken 
Grover W. Gehant 
Sterling D. Schrock 
Albert C. Hillison 
James E. Bales 
John E. Stouffer 
Robert F. Preston 
John A. Torrens 
;Fred W. Leake. Jr. 
Charles W. WiUett 



1857 
George E. Haskell 

David Welty 
Thomas W. Eustace 
Elias B. Stiles 

Ozias Wheeler 
Daniel B. McKenny 
Simon Wright 

Able W. Tinkham 
57 



1893-1894 

1895: 

1896: 

1897-1918 

1919: 

1920-1924 



1925 
1930 
1937 
1941 
1947 



-1929 
-1936 
-1940 
-1946 
-1957 



A. J. Lauer 

J. H. Leffelman 

Chas. H. Ingals 

Chas. E. Bettendorf 

Paul A. Stephenitch 

A. J. Lauer 

Dr. B. H. S. Angear 

R. S. Lauer 

Dr. B. H. S. Angear 

F. J. Morrissey 

Walter F. Erbes 



^ 




Sublette Waterworks 



Compliments of 

ERNIE RAPP 

BARBER SHOPS 

Mendota <& Sublette 



Congratulations 
on your 100th Birthday 

DEMPSEY'S TAP 

Schlitz & Old Style Beer 

Wine Liquor 

Frank & Vi Dempsey — Amboy 



"WE 



WANT 



TEDDY" 



Congratulations 

To The Sublette 

Centennial 

BEIER'S BAKERY, INC. 

"Baked Fine — Since '69" 




THE NATIONAL ROUGH RIDERS 
WILLIAM MCKINLEY, for PRESIDENT; THEODORE ROOSEVELT, for 

Vice President; Early in the fall of 1900 when the political pot began to bubble, 
a few of the leading spirits of the southern part of Lee County and the northern 
part of Bureau Count}' began to get warmed up, and it was proposed that a Rough 
Riders' Club be organized for the benefit of the young men as well as the older 
heads. It was thought that a speech from Carpenter Wilcox of Mendota, Illinois, 
might do the communit)' good so he was engaged to speak and the result of the 
meeting was that Myron Williams was elected president and Charles Kelley sec- 
retary, and a Company of Rough Riders was organized, with headquarters on the 
county line between Lee and Bureau, and near the corners of Sublette, May, 
La Moille, and Clarion Townships. The troop was known as the National Rough 
Riders. 

The women of the community were a wide-awake lot of ladies, and they 
thought the Rough Riders should have a flag; so they served refreshments at the 
various meetings held at Rough Riders' Corner and the result was that a flag 6 
by 12 feet was procured for the boys and a 60 foot flagpole was raised on a 
Saturday evening at which meeting Attorney Wingert of Dixon spoke to the 
people and the pole was dedicated, from which the Stars and Stripes floated until 
the campaign was over. 

After a few speeches at Company Headquarters, the Rough Riders got in 
shape to do a little work in the campaign, and the officers decided that it would 
have a good effect on the young voters for the troop to make practical marches 
through the country. Sublette and La Moille were visited on these occasions and 
quite a number of votes was gained in this way. 

During the campaign this organization visited and took part in rallies at 
Amboy, Shaw, Dixon, La. Moille, Mendota, and Sublette. They were invited to go 
to La Salle to act as Governor Tanner's escort, also to take part in receiving Roose- 
velt, Hanna, Yates, and other prominent speakers. A great many other invitations 
were received that could not be accepted on account of dates conflicting. 

The officers of the Rough Riders were well pleased with the conduct of the 




mflK€RS OF Fine ic€ CReflm 



58 




"WE 



GOT 



boys during the campaign work. The troop became quite proficient in some of the 
manoeuvers of the cavalry tactics, and great enthusiasm was shown at drills and 
all campaign work. 

After the campaign was over a ratification meeting was held at Lieutenant 
P. C. Dayton's, at which time the troop decided not to disband, but to hold them- 
selves in shape to be called together for a social time, and to drill occasionally, 
and be kept in shape for anything that might turn up. 

The reorganized troop was officered the same as formerly, except that John 
M. Rapp was made Second Lieut. Not much was done in way of drill during the 
winter, but they hoped to have reunions occasionally for social intercourse, and 
the troop hoped to be in shape for service and duty on proper occasions, such as 
Decoration Day and other like occasions. The Nationals were one of the few 
organizations that kept their identity following the close of the campaign. 



TEDDY" 



Roster; 

Captain — A. T. Tourtillott 
1st Lieut. — P. C. Dayton 
2nd Lieut. — Charles Keiley 
1st Sergeant — J. M. Rapp 
Sergeant — Charles Richert 
Sergeant — T. J. Hodges 
Sergeant — John Schwingle 
Sergeant — L. D. Smith 
Corporal — Swan Benson 
Corporal — Hayes Hatch 
Corporal — John Gower 
Corporal — A. N. Clapp 
Members: 

Ambrose Angier 

Thomas Angier 

Joseph Auchstetter 

Edward Ansteth 

George Booth 

George Brady 

John Ciapp 

Martin Clark 



Richard Crossman 
Norman Dayton 
Albert Dachler 
Perry Eddy 
William Eddy 
Fred Erricson 
Philip Feik 
Fred Feik 
Frank Feik 
Julius Fischer 
Frank Graves 
Tracy Graves 
Harry Gower 
George Garrett 
Clifford Hopps 
Ralph Hopps 
Lewis Hetzler 
Harry Hetzler 
Harry Kennedy 
La Fayette Long 
Charles Long 
Fred Lev 



Sam Lehman 
Victor Mercer 
George Moody 
Gilbert McKibben 
Eddie McDonald 
Wilson Pine 
loseph Pine 
William Pine 
Thomas Pine 
Wayne Pine 
John Richert 
Clayton Rock wood 
Richard Stannard 
John Stockdale 
John Stephen 
Everett Smith 
Owen Sonne 
Arthur Tourtillott 
Alfred Tourtillott 
Ed Weeks 
John Walker 



(^Theodore Roosevelt. 26th President 

of the United States 

of America. 

1901-1908) 



CENTENNIAL GREETINGS FROM 
JONES - BERRY LUMBER COMPANY 

1906 1957 

Coal and Building Materials 

Phone 35 Amboy, Illinois 



PRODUCERS' 
HYBRIDS 

Bred in Illinois 

for 
Illinois Farmers 

Wm. J. Florschuetz 

Dealer 

Phone 8-81 10 

Sublette, Illinois 



59 



ROLL CALL OF SOLDIERS IN 
CIVIL WAR FROM SUBLETTE 
TOWNSHIP: 
12th Regiment: 

Company B: 
John C. Chnk 
13th Regiment: 
Company C: 

Wilham H. Hale, Sergt. 
Frank A. Wood, Sergt. 
Albert B. McKune, Corp. 
George M. Berkley, Corp. 
Joseph C. Fishell 
Alfred Hastings 
Harry W. McKune 
George P. Wood 
L. Eells Jackson 
Richard E. Ash 
Hugh Carr 
William Morse 
15th Regiment: (reorganized) 
Company G: 

Albert Bliss. Jr., Capt. 
-21st Regiment: 
Company C: 

Charles Bach 
Company E: 
Jacob Luft 
Oscar R. Morse 
Company F: 

Elizah R. Odell 
Company I; 

George N. Scott 
Henry Wolf 
34th Regiment: 

Samuel I. Tussey, Corp. 
Morris Johnson, Wagoner 
John C. Forbes, Private 
Charles G. Jewett, Private 
Charles S. Johnson, Private 
Abram Svifartwout, Private 
Lamburtis W. Marsh, Recruit 
Nelson F. Swartwout, Recruit 
46th Regiment: 
■Company D: 

William F. Wilbur, Capt. 
John Trowbridge, Corp. 
Abel Angier, Private 
Leander Angier, Private 
Fillm'n Fenstemaker, Private 
Harlan D. Forbes, Private 
Jerome R. Holton, Private 
Leonard Lovering, Private 
Henry Lovering, Private 
Company I: 

Harlan D. Forbes, as a Veteran 
Jerome R. Holton, as a Veteran 
52nd Regiment: 
Company B.- 
Matthew Bort 
Christian Koerner 
Conrad Schwab 
Philip Schwab 
55th Regiment: 
Company I: 

William A. Lynn 
Henry Smith 
69th Regiment: 
Company K: 

William H. Heegaard 



72nd Regiment: 

Company G; 

John Clink 

75th Regiment: 

Company D: 

Nelson W. Darrow 

Company E: 

Franklin H. Eells, 1st Lieut. 
James Dexter, 1st Lieut. 
George A. Houk, 2nd Lieut. 
Oliver A. Wood, Corp. 
Charles Stewart, Corp. 
John Stilz, Corp. 
William Barton, Private 
Patrick Comfort, Private 
John J. Cook, Private 
Samuel R. Cook, Private 
Alexander D. Crawford, Private 
Dennis Carroll, Private 
August Digner, Private 
William Dexter, Private 
Thomas Dupay, Private 
Jacob Dastart, Private 
F. Geo. Fessenden, Private 
Edward Fessenden, Private 
Elias Fisher, Private 
Leonard Gradi, Private 
Charles D. Hubbard, Private 
William Hannon, Private 
Joseph J. Hodges, Private 
George A. Honk, Private 
Norman Jewett, Private 
George Kramer, Private 
David B. Long, Private 
Alexander Long, Private 
William B. Lucas, Private 
John W. McLain, Private 
Charles McClain, Private 
Samuel McCall, Private 
David D. Myers, Private 
Christopher Maes, Private 
John Morrill, Jr., Private 
Norvil F. Montgomery, Private 
William McLaughlin, Private 
Edward McKune, Private 
Thomas Nagle, Private 
John Noel, Private 



William P. Packard, Private 
Myron J. Peterson, Private 
Edward S. Smith, Private 
Edward J. Post, Private 
Joshua Rogers, Private 
Lewis B. Rex, Private 
Martin S. Stannard, Private 
Austin W. Stannard, Private 
Walter Scott, Private 
Frederick Schleich, Private 
Franklin Tracey, Private 
Andrew J. Taylor, Private 
Charles E. White, Private 
Isaac Yokum, Private 
Samuel J. Yeast, Private 
Carl Bach, Recruit 
Albert Hubbard, Recruit 
Oscar R. Morse, Recruit 
Charles E. Stannard, Recruit 
George W. Scott, Recruit 
Henry Wolf, Recruit 

Company F: 

Elisha F. Tourtillott, Corp. 
D. Brazilla Walker, Corp. 
Edward Crimmins, Private 
William Doran, Private 

Company I: 
Carl Bach 

Company K: 

Seth Baird, unassigned Recruit 

89th Regiment: 
Company I: 

Jesse Hale, 2nd Lieut. 
Andrew Bigley, Private 
Amos S. Horton, Private 
David E. Powell, Private 
Charles E. Waite, Private 

128th Regiment: 
Company I: 

Marcellus Shepherd 

134th Regiment: 
Company D: 

Joseph S. Stephens 
Company F: 

John D. Paddock 




"We're Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground" 

60 



140th Regiment: 

Company D: 

Theodore Hamblin 
Company E; 

Oscar H. Noble, Corp. 

Julius J. Allen, Corp. 

Henry Burg, Private 

Warren J. Fessenden, Private 

Alfred A. Hubbard, Private 

Laurence Murphy, Private 

Theodore Neis, Private 

Albert W. Preston, Private 

William N. Riley, Private 
153rd Regiment: 
Company E: 

George Shafer 

Able Williamson 
Company K: 

Fred C. Ferring 

Thomas F. Tracey 
7th Cavalry: 

Benjamin F. Bartlett, Com- 
missioned Sergt. 

Dewitt C. Rexford, Farrier 

Sergt. 
Company B: 

Samuel DuFane, Recruit 

H. Sidney Hill, Recruit 

William B. Pratt, Recruit 
Company C: 

Edgar A. Bird 

Fred Boddenhogan 

Wm. H. Christopher 

Thomas Clark 

Chetal Clark 

Washington Eddy 

Levi Eddy 

Augustus Helmestine 

Elmore W. Hunt 

Wm. Laycock 

Andrew Maxwell 

George C. McKune 

Andrew J. Phillips 

James M. Pierce 

Ellory C. Thornton 

Lewis F. Grover, Recruit 

Walter L. Green, Recruit 

George Myers, Recruit 
Company F: 

Daniel L. Pratt, Recruit 



Winlield S. Clink, unassigned 

Recruit 

Wilfred M. Sturdevant, unas- 
signed Recruit 
8th Cavalry: 

Peter Schumacher, unassigned 

Recruit 
12th Cavalry: 
Company M: 

George M. Williams 

Arthur Bailey, unassigned Recruit 

Morris T. Dunn, unassigned 

Recruit 
17th Cavalry: 
Company M: 

Arthur D. Bailey, 1st Sergt. 
1st Artillery: 
Battery C: 

Julius A. Perkins 
1st United States Army Corps: 
Company Five: 

Abram Swartwout 
Company Six: 

Parker L. Cass 

Michael Keraus 

Andrew Lind 



Roster of Deceased War Veterans 

Buried in Sublette Soil 

Requiescant in Pace! 

EVERGREEN (PETERSON) 

CEMETERY 

Biddle, Sergt. A. J., Co. F, 35th Ind. 
Infantry 

Bartlett, Capt. Prescott, Co. C, 7th 
Illinois Cavalry 

Berkeley, Geo. M., Co. C, 13th Illinois 
Infantry 

Berkeley, B. F., Lieut., Co. C, 7th 
Illinois Cavalry 

Billings, L., Co. G, 111th Penn. In- 
fantry 

Clink, John, Musician, 72nd Illinois 
Infantry 

Craig, Daniel, Co. C, 7th Illinois 
Cavalry 

Eells, Lieut. Frank, Co. E, 75th Illi- 
nois Infantry 

Ewing, D. H., Com. H, 57th Ohio 
Infantry 




Holton, Jerome R., Co. C, 46th Illinois 

Infantry 
Hubbard, G. A., Co. E, 75th Illinois 

Infantry 
Hubbard, C. D., Co. E, 75th Illinois- 
Infantry 
Hethcrington, A., Co. G, 139th Illinois 

Infantry 
Ingals, Chas. H. 
Koch, Edwin O., World War I 
Letteer, Alva W., Penn., Vol. Infantry 
Letteer, Theodore J., Penn. Vol. 

Infantry 
McNinch, Wm., Co. K, 1st N. J. 

Mounted Rifles 
McCune, Harry, Co. C, 13th Illinois 

Vol. Infantry 
McCune, Edward, Co. E, 75th Illinois 

Vol. Infantry 
McCall, A., Co. C, 7th Illinois Cavalry 
Minor, Britton, Co. F, 105th Illinois 

Infantry 
Newton, Harry, Regiment unknown 
Rogers, Joshua, Co. E, 75th Illinois 

Infantry 
Roloff, Grover C, World War I 
Stilz, John, Corporal, Co. E, 75th 

Illinois Infantry 
Smith, Byron, Regiment unknown 
Sturdevant, F. W., Regiment unknown 
Trowbridge, John, Co. D, 46th Illinois 

Infantry 
Wood, O. A., Corporal, Co. E, 75th 

Illinois Infantry 

ST. MARY'S 
Becker, Charles, World War I 
Burkardt, Robert, World War II 
Langdon, Peter, 3rd N. Y. Light Ar- 
tillery, Civil War 
Letl, Adolph 
Streit, Charles J., Battery E, 338th 

Field Artillery, World War I 
West, Mathilda E. K., Army Nurse 

Buried at Sea or on Foreign Soil 
Arrigo, John, World War II 
Rapp, Donald, World War II 
Younc, Adam, World War II 
McNinch, Lester, World War II 
Frank, Marvin, World War II 



STATISTICS of 1872: Acres of wheat 

— 1530; corn — 6682; other prod- 
ucts — 2794: number of horses — ■ 
549; cattle — 1216; mules — 9; sheep 

— 77; hogs — 1355; total assessed 
value — 5214,777. 



Congratulations 
W. RALPH LONG 



•Men! it Ease!' 



61 



Compliments of 

SCHWARZ 
FUNERAL HOME 

Mendota, Illinois 

Willard I. Johnson 
Established 1885 



62 



CORRESPONDENCE : 

74-D Forest Drive 
Short Hills Village 
Springfield, New Jersey 
Aprir23, 1957 

Dear Reverend Father 

Anthony J. Becker, 

I regret the long delay in replying 
to your note of last November. . . 
The first Barton of our lineage was 
James Barton, a British soldier who,* 
in fighting "French and Indian War" 
was killed in Braddock's defeat of 
July 5, 1755. His son. Lieutenant Wil- 
liam Barton, fought on the side of the 
Colonies during the Revolutionary 
War and was on General Washing- 
ton's staff. Following the close of the 
War, he made his home in Pequan- 
nock Township, Morris County, New 
Jersey, a distance of probably 15 or 
20 miles from where I currently 
live. . . One of Lieutenant William 
Barton's sons, Eleazar Barton, an en- 
sign in the War of 1812, traveled 
across the prairies and settled in Knox 
Grove in the year 1846. One of Elea- 
zar Barton's sons, Jacob Bostedo Bar- 
ton, my grandfather, moved from 
Knox Grove to Sublette. In reviewing 
a genealogical reporting prepared by 
my uncle, the late Dr. William E. 
Barton, which is titled "Lieutenant 
William Barton of Morris County, 
New Jersey, and His Descendants," 
I find interesting accounts, which 
read in part: "At Knox Grove we 
found Stephen at the home of Norm 
Porter. Mr. Porter had a large house 
for those days. It had two rooms. The 
family consisted of Mr. Porter and 
wife and Whittock and Henry, two 
sons of uncertain ages. Our family 
had nine members: James, his wife, 
and two children, and the men who 
brought us from Chicago. I do not 
recall any complaint that there was 
not room enough for all or of any- 
one's going back to Ward's Tavern 
at the corner for lodging. Most of us 
slept on the floor with blankets under- 
neath us. Next morning we went on 
two miles towards Perkins Grove to 
the Kolper house, which Stephen had 
rented for one dollar a month. It stood 
some 30 rods west of where the 
Kapser or Knox Grove Evangelical 
Church now stands. It was a log 
house, perhaps 12 x 16, with no cham- 
ber, puncheon floor, and one window. 
West of that was a frame house, about 
the same size, about 10 feet high. . .' 
I notice further in the account of the 
purchase of a few wooden chairs, the 
first of their kind ever seen by my 
grandfather. Also a churn and a few 
other things were purchased in Peru. 
His father also bought two cows for 
$25 and James, my grandfather's 
brother, bought one for $12. He also 



at that time bought a yoke of oxen, 
the price of which is not recorded. I 
believe it was about the year 1854 
that my grandfather, Jacob Bostedo 
Barton, then approximately 20 years 
of age, moved to Sublette. After that 
he studied medicine with Dr. Heath 
of Paw Paw. His actual practice as a 
physician was limited, as he soon 
established himself a drug store in 
Sublette, though the more stringent 
laws of later years caused him to 
register as a local physician. I believe 
some of the old-timers around Sub- 
lette, such as Anna Erbes, will still 
recall my grandfather driving through 
the countryside with his "medicine 
wagon ", staying all night at the homes 
of various settlers around West Brook- 
lyn, Lee Center, Maytown, etc. when 
he was too far distant to return to 
Sublette. . . My grandfather's brother, 
William Newton Barton, served in 
the Seventh Cavalry and was killed in 
battle on November 30, 1865. He was 
originally buried in a little cemetery 
in Knox Grove. This cemetery, I 
understand, was later abandoned and 
his body along with those of other 
members of the family was moved to 
a cemetery in Mendota, Illinois. . . 
It may be of interest to you to know 
that, as a token of family interest, 
my father always retained title and 
paid taxes on one acre of land in 
Knox Grove. Since my father's death, 
my brother, Herbert Methven Barton, 
and myself have retained title and 
paid taxes on this plot. I can remem- 
ber once as a small boy that my father, 
accompanied by myself and other 
members of the family, was guided 
to the boundary lines by Peter Dinges, 
who, I presume, has now been dead 
for 30 or 35 years. . . On June 8, 
I860, my grandfather married Helen 
Methven, daughter of Reverend Wil- 
liam Methven. They had five chil- 
dren. . . Sublette residents will re- 
member my sister, Mary Helen Barton 
(Mrs. Waylan Johnson) of 493 North 
Tennessee, Danville, Indiana. They 
will also remember my brother, Her- 
bert Methven Barton, who married 
Doris Green of Amboy, Illinois. My 
brother died at the age of 44 on Feb- 
ruary of this year. His family still 
resides at 2300 Jasmine in Denver, 
Colorado. My brother, John Barton, 
died at the age of 8 and was buried 
in the Evergreen Cemetery across the 
road from Jim July's. . . In 1950, 
104 years after my family had mi- 
grated from New Jersey, I returned 
to the state where I live with my wife, 
Charlotte Loretta Jacoby of Arling- 
ton, Illinois. Our only daughter, 
Sharon Ann (Sherry) married Russell 
Stevenson Britton, Jr., of Haddonfield, 
New Jersey. . . Most noteworthy mem- 
bers of our lineage were my uncle. 



Dr. William £. Barton, who was for 
25 years pastor of the First Con- 
gregational Church of Oak Park, 
Illinois. He was also an author of 
note, a world traveler and lecturer, 
and was the leading Lincoln author- 
ity at the time of his death in Decem- 
ber, 1930. His son, Bruce Barton, has 
achieved equal fame as an author and 
lecturer. . . I hope that some of the 
information given above will be help- 
ful to you in preparing for the cen- 
tennial celebration in Sublette. It is 
difficult for me to state at the mo- 
ment whether or not I will be able 
to be present. Currently, I am 
scheduled to leave for Mexico for a 
business trip of several weeks' dura- 
tion. Other things may develop which 
will interfere with my being in Sub- 
lette. Rest assured, however, that, if 
it is at all possible to be there during 
that period, both my wife and myself 
will be present. 

Cordially yours, 

W. W. Barton 



Die! You Know Thai? 

Three from Sublette served in the 
Spanish- American War: Major Tour- 
tillott, Ir\ing Eddy, and John Scott? 
Eddy died in service and Scott is still 
living in Casper, Wyoming? 



In 1937 the Hatch family celebrated 
the one-hundreth anniversary of the 
possession of the homestead originally 
established by their progenitor, Sher- 
man Lovell Hatch? The "Hatches have 
held this homestead for 120 years? 



For 15 years Mrs. Bansau got up at 
2 A. M. to get breakfast for her Henry 
and get him started on his meat route? 



The oldest business building stil 
standing is Mini's Tavern? 



Compliments of 

RED & MARGE'S TAP 

Dial 8338 
Mendota, Illinois 



63 




Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Loiell Hatch 



Captain Sherman Hatch was born in 
Cavendish, Vermont, July 25, 1807, a 
son of Sherman and Carohne Lovell 
Hatch. He grew to manhood amid the 
pleasant scenes of that Vermont town, 
and joining the state militia, became 
captain of his company. At the age of 
30 he desired to see what the West had 
to offer. He made his way by boat 
through the Great Lakes to Chicago, 
thence to Milwaukee and from there to 
Janesville, Wis. He came down the 
Rock River with seven others, stopping 
at Rockford, Dixon, and Prophetstown. 
The party arrived at the mouth of the 
Rock River, south of Rock Island, 
where Mr. Hatch remained over night. 
They went over into Iowa by boat and 
brought Mr. Hatch back. Next morn- 
ing he set out on foot all alone to seek 
a location. He walked back to Prophets- 
town and proceeded to Dixon's Ferry 
and then South to Palestine Grove. The 
Whittaker home was the only house he 
saw along the way. 

At Palestine Grove he joined Chas. 
F. Ingals, his boyhood friend from 
Vermont. He discovered an abandoned 
claim and completed the unfinished 
log cabin that stood upon it. He re- 
mained until fall when he returned to 
Vermont to claim his bride whom he 
took as his wife in the spring of 1838, 
a Miss Luq' Brown, a schoolteacher. 
Returning to Palestine Grove, he found 
his claim occupied. He had recourse 
to the Squatter's Tribunal and it was 
decided that he should pay the usurper 
$150 in view of the improvements 
made, or receive $125 and give up the 
premises. He chose to pay the $150 
and regained his humble cabin. It was 
of primitive construction with a floor 
of earth until he covered it with split 
rails and on top of these cornstalks. 



He claimed 240 acres, but could not 
buy it when it came on the market be- 
cause of uncollectable money he had 
loaned. For a time he had to content 
himself with 80 acres. In 1864 he built 
a frame house on another section of 
land southeast of this, and in 1852 
erected a commodious brick house and 
a large barn, the lumber for which came 
from Chicago, the brick from La Moille, 
and the stone for the basement wall 
from Lee Center. 

Mrs. Hatch organized the first school 
in the community. The land was barren 
prairie but highly fertile and pasturage 
grew wild. Mr. Hatch specialized in 
the raising of cattle and several times 
each year made trips to Chicago where 
a successful market had opened. On 
these occasions his wife was in almost 
constant fear of the Indians who roamed 
the Rock River Valley and often peeked 
in the lighted windows at night but 
never disturbed the family. Several 
Indian trails traversed the Hatch farm 
and Black Hawk and his forces built 
camp fires on these trails as they passed 
through. 

The brick house built in 1852 still 
stands in excellent condition and is 
occupied by his grandson, Charles B. 
Hatch, who resides on the 400 acre 
estate. Meeting with extraordinary suc- 
cess in business, Sherman accrued 560 
acres of land and much personal prop- 
erty. He lived to the age of 95, passing 
away at Ashton in 1903. His wife pre- 
ceded him in death in 1876. Sherman's 
oldest daughter was Mrs. Harriet Gard- 
ner of Sublette. Sherman was a devout 
Republican. 

A hard maple now stands growing 
among the forest oaks at the cabin site. 
It was grown from seed brought from 
Vermont by Mrs. Hatch. The beautiful 

64 



trees at the homestead were also planted 
by Mrs. Hatch and now stand as sturdy 
memorials to the couple who braved 
the rigors and dangers of pioneer days. 

Charles B. Hatch has the four sheep- 
skin land grants signed by Presidents 
lames K. Polk and 2Lachary Taylor, 
giving to his grandfather title to 400 
acres of land in Palestine Grove West 
of the Village. 

Besides Charles B. only two other 
grandsons are still living: Hayes Lovell 
Hatch, about liA miles South of the 
homestead, and George Garrett of 
Amboy. The fourth and fifth genera- 
tions are also living on the homestead: 
Mrs. James (Harriet Hatch) Palmer 
and her two daughters, Amy and Heidi, 
respectively. 

PIONEER MOTHERS OF SUB- 
LETTE: (Recollections) 

HARRIET L. GARDNER 
"Work of collecting material of in- 
terest about those brave pioneer women, 
who between 1838 and 1846 laid the 
foundation of our present condition of 
comfort, culture, and morality, is at- 
tended with some difficulty, as most 
of those who took part in the activities 
of those years have passed into the 
world beyond. . . Country at the time 
had not been divided into townships 
and what is now known as Sublette was 
then simply the settlement of Palestine 
Grove while our postoffice was at Inlet 
Grove until about the last of this period, 
when a postoffice was established at 
house of one of our neighbors, Daniel 
Baird, he being quite scholarly for those 
times. . . Educated women turned the 
mill to winnow the grain which was to 
take its three or four days' journey to 
Chicago, to be exchanged for a pair of 
boots for father or a pair of shoes 
perhaps for mother, some sugar, tea, 
and coffee, calico sufficient for a dress, 
a paper of pins, etc., and once, perhaps, 
within the recollection of the children, 
mother was so extravagant as to send 
for a bit of silk and ribbon, with which 
Mrs. Ingals, our oracle of fashion, was 
to shape a bonnet. I think, however, 
that the styles of those days were mostly 
taken from the latest arrival from the 
faraway East. . . The bride passed 
her honeymoon on a floor of mother 
earth, with a blanket hung at the door- 
way to keep out the night wind, and 
a homemade table with some other 
crude pieces of furniture were placed 
against it to keep out the wild beasts, 
and the ax and pitchfork stood beside 
the bed of the lonely woman at night 
as a defense weapon against man and 
beast, when her husband was away. 
Then there were all of those farm 
chores to be attended to during all of 
those six, seven, eight and sometimes 
nine or ten days' trip to Chicago. . . 
Many a little toddler in the pioneer 



cabin wandered about neglected and 
forlorn all day, while mother lay in 
bed sick with a terrible chill and the 
fever, which always followed it, and 
at last sinking into a tired sleep at night, 
then waking in the darkness of the 
early morning to find her babies, who 
had crawled supperless to bed, on 
either side of her. . . We have never 
heard that mothers in those days had 
occasion to fight with wild beasts, but 
many a tale we have listened to of 
fighting with an equally unconquerable 
foe — a prairie fire — which in spite of 
every effort would sometimes devour 
every kind of grain, every spear of hay 
and the outbuildings, leaving a hungry 
herd of cattle with no visible means of 
support. . . If Mrs. Baird wanted to 
make her little girl a dress and wished 
for Mrs. Hatch's pattern, she must put 
her babies in the wheelbarrow and 
wheel them a mile across the prairie, 
and if Mrs. Hatch wanted Mrs. Baird's 
recipe for pickles, as she had no wheel- 
barrow she would take her little ones 
as far as they were able to walk or she 
was able to carry them, then leave them 
by the fence corner, charging them not 
to stir from that spot, and to be very 
good children, and at last telling that 
she would stay but a few minutes. . . 
Our houses were similar, usually the 
typical pioneer home of logs, varied 
slightly in design. Perhaps a corner for 



a pantry would be partitioned with 
rough boards, and from the corner of 
that to the opposite wall would be 
drawn a curtain of some bright fur- 
niture calico forming a commodious al- 
cove for the bed and the old-time 
necessity for the children — the trundle 
bed. One family had besides the living 
room, a sort of lean-to, which was used 
for a bedroom, and it had a bonafide 
door of wood, instead of a curtain, and 
that bedroom was the envy of all the 
little folks of the community. It seemed 
the height of grandness to them. . . 
In the year 1843 a schoolhouse of logs 
was erected on the south side of 
Palestine Grove, where for some years 
religious services were held and attend- 
ing those services might be seen Mrs. 
Jonathan Peterson with her little 
daughters, the Mortons, the Rodgers, 
the Ingals, the Hatches, the Goodalls, 
the Bairds, the Hubbards, the McKunes, 
the Fessendens. . . There were but few 
persons here then approaching that 
much dreaded era in life after which 
we are called elderly. The parents of 
the Peterson family, Mrs. Eells, their 
aunt, and Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim 
Reniff^, the mother and stepfather of 
Mrs. Baird, were, I think, the only ones 
whose journey of life was in the de- 
cline. . . Of those who ministered to 
our spiritual wants the first, I believe, 
was Elder Headley, who resided in or 



near Ottawa. He, I have no doubt, was 
instrumental in organizing the Baptist 
Church, which has been spiritually the 
alma mater of most of those who have 
drifted out on the sea of life from 
Sublette. . . As we, surrounded by 
modern conveniences and living in 
comparative ease and luxury turn to the 
picture of our mother's early life, as she 
crawled to a spring a quarter of a mile 
away for water to slake her feverish 
thirst, wondering the while whether 
she would live to get back to her little 
ones, we see nothing but sadness and 
gloom, yet there were bright spots in 
their lives. . . The old folks talk of 
'those good old times' when hospital- 
ity abounded, and everyone was a 
neighbor, although miles away. They 
frequently exchanged friendly inter- 
course and partook of a mince pie made 
with slightly cooked potatoes, soaked 
in vinegar, which took the part of the 
missing apples, and the wild plums 
preserved in molasses, or the wild crab 
apples boiled, the core taken out and 
served with sugar and cream. Then 
there were the cookies, with caraway 
seeds in them, too. We have no doubt 
the ladies then invited in neighbors and 
enjoyed the social gathering around a 
quilt on the visit to the lady of the 
house, while the husbands assisted 
their neighbor to erect a barn or a stack 
of hay, quite as well as the ladies of 



^ 




^as:rft^ 



SUCCESSFUL FEEDERS 

USE 

FASCO 

FINER FEEDS 



FASCO MILLS 



Weiland (P. O. Mendo+a) Dial 3757 Mendota 
Free weekly delivery service 

Mendota Area Comp+on Area 

Ladenburger Fasco Service Archer Fasco Service 

Dial 2-5024 Mendota Dial 2671 Compton 



65 



our time enjoy the elaborate luncheon, 
or the five o'clock tea. . . There were, 
no doubt, many interesting incidents 
in those days which would be well 
worth recording here but they have 
passed beyond the ken of mortals with 
those cherished mothers who were then 
only taking those burdens of life which 
grew heavier as the responsibility of a 
family to educate became more appar- 
ent, while the facilities for doing it 
scarcely kept pace with the physical 
development of the children. . . The 
mother of those days was indeed a 
Spartan mother, and 'her children rise 
up and call her blessed'. " 

CHARLOTTE B. FIELD 
Born Feb. 27, 1811, in 'West Brook- 
field, Mass.; Dec. 20, 1832, married 
Daniel Baird of "Westborough, Mass. 
Came 'West in 1836 and settled in 
Rockwell, La Salle County. In 1839 
moved to Lee County and settled on a 
farm near Palestine Grove, three miles 
from present 'Village. First postoffice 
at their home, called Brookfield, after 
Mrs. Baird's birthplace. He died Mar. 
26,1866, and she. Mar. 18, 1890; both 
lie at rest on old homestead. 

MRS. HEZEKIAH McKUNE 
"My husband, Hezekiah McKune, 
with myself and four children, left our 
native home in Susquehanna, Pennsyl- 
vania, June 10, 1845. 'We came to 



Binghampton, New York, from where 
we took passage on a canal boat for 
Utica, then to Buffalo, from there by 
steamer to Chicago, where we were met 
by a man by the name of Peterson from 
Palestine Grove, our place of destina- 
tion in this country. Mr. Peterson had 
two yoke of oxen and a wagon. We 
had four wagons, and purchased a pair 
of oxen, and after four days' travel we 
reached our home, which we had traded 
for. It was a log house with lean-to 
and attic, which we reached by climbing 
on pegs driven into the wall. 'We could 
count stars through the roof, sometimes 
as many as twenty at a time. On our 
trip I sometimes got tired of riding, 
and would walk until a rattlesnake 
would buzz across my path, then I would 
take my place in the wagon again. I 
saw one rattlesnake crawl through the 
floor of our house; it was a small one 
and I killed the intruder. We had the 
usual amount of sickness and privation 
incident to a new country. Three times 
we took families in to live with us, of 
from three to six in number, who stayed 
as many months apiece. We entertained 
ministers, travelers, and tramps, and 
as we were on the road from Dixon to 
Peru it was a convenient stopping place. 
I recollect several of those early set- 
tlers who used to call at our house. 
Among the most noteworthy were Dr. 
Gardner and Rev. De Wolf, as they 
were hauling onions and other produce 



to Peru. We had no great trouble with 
wolves, although when Mr. McKune 
was returning one evening from help- 
ing a neighbor butcher, they came so 
close to him he could hear them breathe 
and snap, but he hung on to the liver 
he was carrying, and reached home 
safely with no further trouble." 
HARRIET CARNAHAN McELYSA 
(daughter of S. W. Carnahan, who 
came in 1848 from Penn. and settled 
in Melugin's Grove) 

"During the summer season the 
grass covered the prairies from three 
to four feet in height, and during my 
first term of school taught at Knox 
Grove, it was no uncommon thing to 
have from ten to twelve rattlesnakes 
cross my path while going from my 
boarding place to the schoolhouse. As 
this was during the days when teachers 
'boarded around' the distance of course 
cannot be definitely stated." 

MRS. HARRIET L. GARDNER 

Daughter of Sherman L. Hatch and 
widow of Dr. Francis B. Gardner. 
Born on the homestead in Dec. 1839. 
Went to school at Lee Center Academy, 
then to Janesville, Wis., and completed 
education at a private school in West 
Chester County, New York. Taught a 
few terms and married Dr. Gardner 
in 1861, the same year he settled in 
Sublette. In November, 1880, he had 
an untimely death when he was tossed 
on his head by an angered bull. 



F. HINRICHS IMP. CO 

A m b o y, 1 1 1 . 
Phone 29 1 



HARVESTORE 
SILOS 



NEW IDEA 

and 

NEW HOLLAND 

Farm Equipment 



JOHN DEERE 
Quality Equipment 



66 



LINDQUIST CONSTRUCTION 
COMPANY 

Established 1906 
George W. Lindquist — E. S. Lindquist 

Andrew G. Lindquist 
founder 

206 Brinton Avenue 

Telephone 3-8541 

Dixon, Illinois 

"Our Best Wishes to Sublette" 



Compliments of 

MIDWEST RUG MILLS, Inc. 

Amboy 
Illinois 




A. J. "Aniiy" Lauer 



For several decades he had been 
identified with the plumbing and im- 
plement business of Sublette. Lee 
County numbered him among its na- 
tive sons, since he was born in Sublette 
Township in 1857. His parents, An- 
drew and' Katherine (Strubel) Lauer, 
are buried in Sublette, the father hav- 
ing died in 1898 and the mother in 
1876. A. J. Lauer attended school in 
the Village until he was twelve years 
old when he began to assist his father 
in the operation of the home farm for 
eleven years. Farmed for himself until 
1893, when he opened a plumbing and 
implement business. Was widely rec- 



ognized as a prosperous, enterprising, 
and representative citizen of this com- 
munity. Ortober 30, 1883, he was mar- 
ried to Katherine Hildmann, and had 
one child Amor, who assisted his father 
for many years in the hardware busi- 
ness. Andy Lauer was a democrat in 
politics and served as county assessor 
for about fifteen years, making for him- 
self a highly creditable record. He was 
a devout member of the Catholic 
Church, always regarded as a man of 
exemplary habits, strict integrity, and 
strong personality. He was well known 
in Lee County and enjoyed the high 
esteem of all who had either business 
or social relations with him. On Aug. 
31, 1951, he passed away. 
GEORGE LAUER 
Sublette merchant, born here Nov. 
19, 1852, brother of Andrew Lauer. 
Father was a native of Wurzburg, Ba- 
varia, and mother of Bingen, in Hesse- 
Darmstadt. In 1848 parents came to 
America and took up farming pur- 
chasing 300 acres of land. In 1880 
George entered into partnership with 
Joseph Bettendorf in general merchan- 
dise, but one year later joined partner- 
ship with his brother Andrew and this 
lasted for five years, when George be- 
came sole proprietor. June 7, 1881, he 
married Mary T. Malach and had seven 
children: George A.. Erma M., Leo L.. 
John, Alphonse, Romana, and Otto. 

67 



PAUL RE IS 

He was a representative of a well- 
known pioneer family of Lee County, 
for most of his life engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising on 120 acres 
of fine land in section 11. Was a na- 
tive son, born in 1837, his parents 
being Martin and Katherine (Theiss) 
Reis, the former dying in 1894 and 
the latter in 1897. Both lie at rest in 
the Perkins Grove Cemetery. Martin 
Reis was one of the settlers of the 
Township. Paul Reis got his education 
in the public school of his neighbor- 
hood. At 14 he laid aside his books 
and for 13 years worked for his father 
on the farm, until he came into posses- 
sion of his own home.stead of 120 
acres. In 1884 he married Kate Kliyla, 
both of whom are now buried in West 
Brooklyn. Romer P. Reis is their only 
child. Paul Reis was a democrat and a 
Catholic; his life was always lived in 
conformity with his principles. He left 
behind him a record that is respected 
to this day. 

\rARRES CLARKE 

Born in Medheld, Mass., Feb. 22, 
1825. Came West to Mendota in 1854, 
where he worked five years on the 
foundry. Moved to Village of Sublette 
in 1877, where he was a carpenter. In 
1876 he married his second wife, the 
first having died three years before; two 
children, Mary and Lina Stearns. 



The Standad Oil Company, a youngster of sixty-eight years, congratulates the village 
of Sublette on its 100th Anniversary. As Sublette has progressed, the Standard Oil Com- 
pany has kept pace. Today, we serve this area with modern equipment, fine quality 
products and dependable delivery. 

YOU EXPECT MORE FROM STANDARD AND YOU GET IT! 




Since 1922 — Standard Oil Bulk Plant in Sublette 



STANDARD OIL COMPANY 



L. J. Vaessen, Agent 
Phone 29, Sublette 



CHARLES HUBBARD 

Sublette painter, born here on May 
4, 1846, youngest son of Royal Prescott 
Hubbard, whose four sons went to 
War with orders "to pitch in and clean 
them up" since the father had seen the 
horrors of slavery in the South. Charles 
was mustered out of the service June 
12, 1865, without a wound and having 
won for himself a reputation of a 
splendid soldier, especially noted for 
his intrepidity and love of foraging. 
CHRISTIAN BIESTER 

Sublette farmer, born in Hanover 
County, Germany, Dec. 1831. Came to 
America in 1855 and then to this area. 
Was the uncle of Mrs. H. Bansau. 
FREDERICK OBERHELMAN 

Sublette grain-buyer, born in War- 
ren County, Missouri, in 1844. 1866 
married Mary E. Betz, daughter of 
John Betz, an early settler in Sublette. 
1871 went into business of buying 
grain and shipping in Village. 1874 
built an elevator, which with his en- 
gine cost him $5,000. Also dealt in 
coal and lumber and livestock. His busi- 
ness was prosperous, having paid out 
as much as $100,000 in one year. He 
and his wife were faithful members of 
the Lutheran Church. In 1905 he re- 
tired. 

THOMAS ANGIER 

Sublette farmer and magistrate, 
dubbed the "Squire." Born in 1822 in 



Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. In 1840 
family came West with wife and one 
child, to La MoiUe, then to Sublette 
the following spring. 1874 Thomas 
moved to Village. Already in 1851 he 
was elected justice of peace. For 18 
years he served as supervisor of the 
Township. Often he was styled "the 
oracle of Sublette." 

PHILIP FAUBLE 

Sublette farmer, born in Lee County 
in April, 1851. His father, John, was 
an early settler in Sublette and acquired 
large property. In October, 1877, Philip 
married Barbara Pope of Bureau Coun- 
ty. Owned a 200-acre farm known as 
William Tourtillott farm. 

PETER DINGES 

Sublette farmer, born in Oberhech- 
stadt, Heese-Nassau, Germany, in 1844. 
Stayed under parental roof until he 
was 27. On April 20, 1876, married 
Christina Schaub, and had eight chil- 
dren. Owned 800 acres of land at time 
of his death. 

HENRY HOFFMAN 

Sublette farmer, born in Germany, 
Dec. 23, 1825. Came to America in 
1845, arriving near Perkins Grove and 
settled in this area soon after. 
PHILIP ERBES 

Sublette farmer and feeder of pedi- 
greed stock. Born in Bureau County, 
October 5, 1862. Owned 167 acres of 
land on the south line of Lee County 



68 



known as the "Pine Creek Farm," 
where he was engaged in breeding 
Scotch and Shorthorn cattle, Poland- 
China hogs, Oxford-down sheep and 
Golden Wyandotte chickens. 
ANTON H. LAUER 

Sublette banker and merchant, a 
brother of George. 1892 joined with 
his brother Andrew in hardware and 
agricultural implement business. In 
1900 he became cashier of the Sub- 
lette Exchange Bank. 

MICHAEL LAUER 

Sublette farmer. Born in Retzstadt, 
Bavaria, Germany, Feb. 16, 1879. Came 
to America in 1881, and settled near 
Sublette in 1897. At one time he rented 
land near Paw Paw. 

EDWARD M. LEWIS 

Sublette wagon-maker and black- 
smith. Born in Broom County, Mass., 
Dec, 1844, Came with parents to Lee 
County in 1845, first to Nachusa, then 
in 1853 to Amboy. Married Sarah Tate 
in 1851. 1869 he moved to Sublette. 
ALPHEUS CRAWFORD 

Born on Dec. 28, 1798, in Lucerne 
County (now Bradford), Penn. In 
1844 Alpheus came West with a fami- 
ly of six children, and settled at Knox 
Grove. Bought 40 acres for $75.00 
from Widow Pratt. There was a log 
house on the place and about 7 acres 
were broken. 



ALPHEUS H. CLINK 
Sublette farmer, born in Penna., 
1829. Came to Lee County in 1842. 
He engaged in teaming to Chicago for 
Geo. E. Haskell, storekeeper at Inlet. 
In 1848 the family came to Sublette. 
In 1852 Alpheus built a frame house 
on the south "eight\" of the home- 
stead. Married in 1850 to Julia A. 
Canheld, who died in Dec, 1854. His 
second wife, Melissa M. Robinson, 
gave him five children. 

JOHN N. TRUCKEXBROD 
Sublette farmer, born in Bureau 
County, Nov. 10, 1862, son of John and 
Elizabeth Faber Truckenbrod. For some 
time John took care of the homestead. 
On Dec. 20, 1893, he married Emma 
M. Hartan, and to them six children 
were born: Carl J., Fritz, Greta, Bertha, 
Nerval, and Ralph. 

AMBROSE N. ANGIER 
Sublette farmer, born on Jan. 3, 
1843, jn house in which he resided 
most of his life, the son of Thomas 
and Fannie (Morse) Angier. In all 
probability at the time of his death 
he was the oldest person born in Lee 
County who had always resided within 
its boundaries. 




D'lil -jou know that? 

U. S. Route 52 was built through 
Sublette m the year 1924' 



]OEL COOK 
Born in Otsego County, New York, 
in 1828; reared a farmer. 1845 came 
West, learned the carpenter and shoe- 
maker trades in Lee County. Passed the 
first winter in Lee County in 1845 with 
Daniel Tripp at Inlet Creek. Went 
overland to Far West in 1850; was in 
California and Oregon for four years. 
Returned and married Emily Strickland 
of Penn. in fall of 1855. Bought 80 
acres of land from his brother John 



for $1700 and began farming in SE 
quarter sec. 8. Built a house 16 X 24. 
Also bought 110 acres in Sees. 5 and 
9, at $4000. 1875 built a house at 
Si 800. Father of Joel Cook was Daniel, 
born in New York in 1802. Daniel was 
an old-time democrat but voted for Abe 
Lincoln, and ever after voted the Re- 
publican ticket. He well remembered 
seeing the soldiers of the War of 1812, 
in which was one of his cousins. Joel 
Cook is Glenn Purdy's grandfather. 

CHARLOTTE (FIELD) BAIRD 

Born in 1811 in Worchcster County, 
Mass., married to Daniel Baird in 
1832. In 1839 the family came to Lee 
County, and settled on the old mail 
route from Peru to Grand Detour in 
Sublette Township. Here was the first 
postofFice, called Brookfield, and after- 
wards Hanno. Daniel Baird was first 
supervisor of the Township, and first 
town meeting was held at his home. 
He died in March, 1866, and left a 
family: Marianne (Mrs. Henry Chap- 
man) and Caroline (Mrs. Newton 
Pumphrey), and Seth F. 



Did Yon Know Thdt? 

In the fall of 1946 a panther was 
supposed to have been on the loose 
West of the Villaije? 



Bill Welcomes You 

To 
Sublette Centennial 

Fish on Friday 
Chicken on Saturday 

BILL'S TAVERN 

Sublette 

The Place to 

Come to 

Have Some Fun. 



CONGRATULATIONS 

TO all our good friends and neighbors 
in Sublette on their community's 100th 
birthday. BEST WISHES for continued 
success in the next century. 

R. W. RUCKMAN 
INSURANCE AGENCY 

R. W. Ruckman Frank E. Duffy 

Blanche Gascoigne 
Insurance — Real Estate — Farm Loans 
Amboy Phone 6 Illinois 



69 




George and Jeanette Stannard ivith daughters, Myrtie and ilia, in front of 
home. Mr. Stannard operated a harness shop across the alley. Since he ivas a 
cripple, he had to be assisted by his wife to his place of work 



NEWTON STANNARD 
Sublette farmer, born in Madison 
Count}', New York, Nov, 1819. Family 
came West to Perkins Grove around 
1841. Married Emily Reniff in Nov. 
1844; 1847 bought land from John 
Dement, Hauled lumber from Chicago 
and built a house, one of best in vi- 
cinity. 



Do you remember? 

The day when Mrs. Dancey (Millie 
Stannard) and her sister were kid- 
napped by the gypsies and their 
mother found them in the gypsy wagon 
as they were ready to leave town ? 



Did You Know That? 

At one time the Village bank was 
one of two in Northern Illinois with 
bullet-proof glass? 



Did You Knoic That? 

The Kuebel Brothers' Hog Hatchery 
was the tirst in the State, and for a 
long time the only one in Northern 
Illinois? 



CHRISTIAN BRUCKER 
The Gilbert Brucker farm south of 
Sublette just off Route 52 has been in 
the family for almost a century. Chris- 
tian Brucker, the great-great-grand- 
father of the Florschuetz children, who 
now reside on the farm, was the first 
owner, having settled there about I860. 
In 1849 he had gone West in pursuit 
of gold and returned with a few 
pieces. With part of this he made a 
rmg, which he lost on a farm in New 
York when he went there to marry his 
tiancee around I860. Some time later 
1 hired man on this farm came in from 
plowing and noticed something shiny 
on the tip of his plow. It was the ring. 
His New York relatives wrote and told 
Mr. Brucker then at Sublette that if 
he wanted the ring, he would have to 
come out and get it. He did, with the 
result that this and the pieces of gold 
are still in the possession of the family. 
Christian had eleven children, all of 
whom lived in the five-room house on 
the homestead. The home still stands 
today but has undergone extensive 
remodelling. This farm was later 
owned by William Brucker, who resid- 
ed there with his family until 1922. 
Afterwards Gilbert Brucker lived there 
until 1948. And since that time the 
William Florschuetz family has been 
there. His wife is the former Lucille 
Brucker. 



Happy 100th Birthday 

to Sublette^ 

our Neighbor to the North. 

BLACK BROTHERS CO. INC. 

Manufacturers of 

Plywood Machinery 

Mendota, Illinois 



70 



Congratulations 

to 

Sublette Community and Citizens on your 

100th Birthday 

ROLLER-MOR 

Skating Rink 
Compton, Illinois 



JONATHAN PETERSON 
Sublette farmer, born at Truxton, 
Courtland County, New York in 1812. 
Came West in 1832 via the Erie Canal, 
Lake Erie, and across Michigan afoot 
to Chicago, then to Ottawa. In spring 
of 1837 he came to Lee County and 
settled in Lee Center Township. Mar- 
ried in fall of 1837 and had live chil- 
dren: Frances Augusta (Mrs. E. A. 
Gastman); Alice M. (Mrs. W. F. 
Hoyt); Emeline W. (Mrs. A. J. Bid- 
dle); Myron J. Jonathan served in 
75th 111. Vol. until end of Civil War. 
He was in engagements at Chickamauga, 
Chattanooga, and went with General 
Sherman on march to Atlanta, and then 
back with General Thomas to Ten- 
nessee. 

WILLIAM DEXTER 
Sublette farmer, born in Canada, 
Dec. 31, 1831, son of Elisha and Mary 
(Kane) Dexter and second in a family 
of eight. 1838 came to Illinois with 
his family. Arriving in Lee County in 
November, he stayed for a short time 
a mile east of Binghampton, then 
moved to May Township, where after 
a while he bought a claim from his 
uncle, John Dexter, who had come to 
the County in 1835. William married 
Martha Coleman in 1852, and in 1858 
he bought land from Lewis Clapp in 
this Township. 




Proprietor of the Sublette Mills iias James Dexter, a brother of William. 
Both nere sons of Elisha Dexter, a brother of John, one of the very early settlers 
around here 



71 



Congratulations to Sublette 
On 100 years of progress 

H. D. HUME COMPANY 

Mendota, Illinois 
Manufacturers of Specialized Farm Equipment 



PRESCOTT BARTLETT 
Sublette farmer, born in Conway, 
Mass., Aug. 19, 1821. Came West in 
1844, having passed through Arkansas 
and Texas in 1855, became convinced 
war was imminent. Studied cavalry tac- 
tics in winter of 1860; following spring 
he raised a cavalry company. In 1861 
he enlisted, and was sworn in, receiv- 
ing a captain's commission in Co. D, 
7th. 111. Cav. Company numbered about 
98, about 25 of them from Sublette 
with the rest from Mendota, Amboy, 
and Lee Center. Captain Bartlett was 



for six weeks president of a military 
commission at Memphis. Served as 
personal escort of Generals Ulysses 
Grant and John M. Palmer. He was a 
stirring and industrious man, having 
seen much of the world. Was widely 
traveled in the purchase and sale of 
horses, having gone to Boston and 
Providence several times. In an early 
day he was elected constable and was 
a deputy under Sheriff Campbell at the 
time of the famous "Banditti of the 
Prairies" prosecutions. 




JOHN WILLIAM "BILL" 
OBERHELMAN 
Sublette dealer in lumber, grain, and 
coal. Born in Warren County, Missouri, 
Oct. 30, 1853. At the age of 23 he 
came to Sublette, where he worked for 
his brother Fred in the store. June 14, 
1883, he married Augusta D. Bansau, 
daughter of Henry and Louise (Miller) 
Bansau, and sister of Henry Bansau, 
Jr. then of the Village. Henry, Sr., was 
a native of Schleswig-Holstein and his 
wife from Hanover, Germany. Bill 
Oberhelman had five children. He was 
the first village clerk of Sublette and 
recorded the ordinances when the vil- 
lage was organized in Feb., 1893. 



Scene of Captain BartletCs reunion 
at the Bartlett homestead, now onned 
by W at son Bartlett and operated by 
the Donald and Robert Ayers families. 
Take note of Eugene Bartlett's position 
in the tvindoiv above center. Such re- 
unions were common events in the 
"old dors" 




This farm was punliased by J. Peter Vltch of Clarion Tuivnship in 1880. 
His son, Edward C Vltch. married Charlotte Fassig of Brooklyn Township, on 
February 19, 1882, and moied on it as a tenant until 1890 when he purchased 
it from the estate. W hen Edward C. died in 1929, Urn. F. Vltch, his son, bought 
it from the heirs in 1930 and farmed it for 20 ntore years. Then his son Ralph 
IT . took orer and is farming it note. This makes four generations which hate 
owned and lived on this farm. Those in the picture are: Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. 
Vltch, daughters Alma and Emma, son William, and hired man John Rotenhafer 



EDWARD C. ULTCH 
Sublette farmer, born May 6, 1857, 
son of John P. and Elizabeth (Wendel) 
Ultch. In 1847 John came to America 
and located in Bureau County where 
he became owner of 3200 acres of 
land. In 1850 he married Elizabeth 
Wendel and had six children. 1882 



Edward moved to Lee County, where 
he purchased 280 acre farm near the 
Village. In Feb. 19, 1882, he took a 
second wife, his first having passed 
away, Charlotte Fassig, and by her had 
four children. 



Did You Know That? 

There was a day when Sublette had 
the ideal place to obtain any kind of 
footwear: Bansau was the bootmaker; 
Bicher. the slippermaker; Fluer, the 
shoemaker ? 



At one time Bureau Creek was an 
ideal place for swimming and fishing.' 
A covered railroad bridge ran over the 
Lreek? From it the boys, the Wilders 
.md others, dived into fifteen feet of 
water? 



Four generations of the Lovering 
family served our country: William 
Lucas in the Civil War; Elizah Lover- 
ing in the State Militia; Roy F. Lover- 
ing in World War I; Francis J. Lover- 
ing in World War II? 



The postoffice building is owned by 
the Orders of the Masons and of the 
Eastern Star? Their lodge meetings are 
conducted upstairs; it is a very active 
group of members? 



SuUelle 



on uour 



(centennial 



CITIES SERVICE OIL COMPANY 

Fuel Oils • Motor Oils 
Greases • Gasoline 

Clarence "Bud" Dinges 

Dial 5016 or 8313 

Mendota, III. 





Tony's 


Arlington Tap 




Congratulations t 


Sublette 


OE 


the Occasion of 


its Centennial 


Soft 


Drinks 


Wines 


Package Goods 


Beer 






Liquors 




Phone 


457 — 


Amboy 




Anton J. 


Bernotas 


Proprietor 



former Bansau Home — note the 
office of the Farmers' Telephone Com- 
part y 








\A\ 



iiii 




Jake Blei's Saloon, now Skinny's 
Tavern, In picture are found: Henry 
Bansau, Geo, Barth, John Blei, Jacob 
Blei, Wm, If'ilkey, and Edmund Blei 



Sublette Waterworks about 1902. G. 
M, Reis, seated, superintendent of 
waterworks, and Max Let}, engineer 




74 



WILLIAM If". IRELAND 
Born in western Virginia, in 1826. 
Came to Sublette in 1850 and bought 
of Stiles and Eustace for $130 a war- 
rant for part of Sec. 23. Married to 
Sarah Vertrees in fall of 1856, who 
taught school in the early days at Knox 
Grove, named by her mother's people, 
who were early settlers. Her father's 
father was in "War of 1812. Her moth- 
er's grandfather (Brooks) was all 
through the Revolution. John Knc^, 
her uncle, when about fifty years old 
went with three sons and a son-in-law 
from Lee County, Mo., to serve in the 
Federal Army. 

JAMES STEARNS 
Came to Sublette in winter of 1855. 
First year here he lived with some rela- 
tives, the Bentons, who lived on the 
Reuben Dinges farm. Then for $2.25 
or $2.50 an acre he bought land across 
the road from the Frank Oester farm 
and built there. This is the home where 
Miss Linda Clarke, his granddaughter, 
lived until selling several years ago 
and moving to Amboy. In spring of 
1855 Mrs. Stearns and two children 
arrived. Since by this time the Rail- 
road had come to Sublette, they had 
their packing box shipped to "Hanno." 
Having arrived in Sublette by train, 
they walked to the Benton home. In 
her reminiscences Miss Clarke tells how 
her mother remembered walking past 



the first place west of Sublette where 
the house was being shingled. This 
house still stands. It was the place used 
by the Baptists for church services until 
their village church was put up. Miss 
Clarke's father was 'Warren, who lived 
in Mendota until he was married. Then 
he came to Sublette where he was a 
carpenter. He built among other things 
the Armory Hall in 1879, later the 
famous Octagon House in Mendota as 
well as the old Blackstone School. 




Auchstetter Garage 




P,>rs<>y ScotI and son. John, pictured in front of Mr. Srolt's /Wii. A>/iii(/i >.lii>i> 
in 1914. This was the first, and. for many rears, the only blacksmith shop around. 
It uas located on the county line, on the land now owned by John Clapp. a grand- 
son. John was injured in the Spanish-American (? or, and was brought home on a 
stretcher. He now lives in Casper, ff yoniing. Mrs. Scott, knoivn as "Aunt Louisa,^' 
was the midwife for this section covering miles around. The Scotts' daughter, Mrs. 
Emma Dayton, still lives in La Moille 



Congratulations on your 100th Birthday 

FIRST STATE BANK 

Mendota, Illinois 
Phone 2211 

Capital $100,000 

Surplus $100,000 

Undivided Profits over $200,000 

Member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 



75 




Mr. and Mrs. Thomas {Hannah Douglas) Tourtiltott 



THOMAS TOURTILLOTT 
(Great-grandfather of Mrs. Paul 

Mossholder) 
In 1839 Thomas Tourtillott came to 
this area, being the first to leave the 
Perkins Grove settlement and build a 
house on the prairie. During the Civil 
War his home ser\'ed as a station on 
the Underground Railway, as did like- 
wise that of Stephen Richardson, a 
neighbor. Besides children Jacob, 
Elisha, Levi, and Olive, Thomas had 
three sons, James, William, and John. 
Each of these three settled and built 
up farms adjoining their father. They 
are now operated by Paul Mossholder, 
Floyd Owens, and Norman Fauble. 
James and William sold their farms 
and went West. John kept his and it 
has for 104 years stayed in the family; 
it is now run by Paul Mossholder. 
John, however, did go West between 
1869-1871; it took 7 days to go by 
rail to California at that time. At every 
station the Indians would get on the 
train and beg from the white men, 

John Tourtillott married Mary Dex- 
ter. Their family included Major Tour- 
tillott and his sister, Ella, who married 
Herbert Eddy, still living in Hillside, 
New Jersey. She was 95 this July 1. 
Major Tourtillott joined the National 
Guards in 1878, then organized in Sub- 
lette, and belonged to it for 38 years. 
He went through all the ranks: Cap- 
tain for 10 years. Major for 17, and 
then retired with the rank of Lieut. 
Col. He was sheriff of Lee County from 
1906-1910, spent 4 terms as State Rep- 
resentative, and also served as Di.xon 
Chief of Police later. When World 



War I came, he tried to get back into 
the service but was not accepted because 
of his being 60 years old. He then 
turned his interest to civic projects, 
helping to organize the Farm Loan As- 
sociation and the Production Credit As- 
sociation, serving as first president of 
each. Over the former he presided 25 
years. In 1912 he was a delegate to the 
Republican Convention and served as 
Assistant Serjeant at Arms. 



ALBERT T. TOURTILLOTT 
Captain Albert T. Tourtillott (later 
Major), who had gone to the front at 
the head of Company K, Sixth 111., Vol., 
U. S. Infantry, comes of good fighting 
stock. His great-grandfather. Captain 
Abram Tourtillott, was a captain in 
the Revolutionary War, as aid-de-camp 
to General Washington, and was on 
duty at the execution of Major Andre. 
His grandfather was a lieutenant in 
the War of 1812. James Tourtillott, 
his uncle, was 1st Lieut, in the 75th 
Regiment, 111. Vol. Infantry during the 
Civil War, and another uncle, Elisha 
Tourtillott, was a private in the same 
regiment and was severely wounded at 
Murphysboro, being disabled for life. 
He is related on the mother's side to 
the Dexters, also with good records as 
fighters. William and James Dexter 
served through the Civil War in the 
75th, and Simon Dexter was a lieuten- 
ant in Company D of the 34th. We all 
have heard of Uncle John Dexter. He 
was upward of 60 years old when the 
war broke out, but the first call for 
volunteers seemed to renew his youth, 

76 



and at the second call he colored his 
whiskers, which were rather gray, re- 
juvenated his exterior, and volunteered. 
He succeeded in deceiving the muster- 
ing officer, was accepted and mustered 
in. He was in the Battle of Shilo, and 
said that he fired 40 rounds, taking 
good aim and making a rebel bite the 
dust about every other shot. Captain 
Albert T. Tourtillott is a gentleman 
of unassuming disposition, but with 
true dignity of character, with soldierly 
bearing, and holding the respect and 
esteem of his men. He will make a 
good record for himself and family, 
his native town of Sublette, and Com- 
pany K will never have reason to re- 
gret their choice of commander made 
many, many years ago. We shall watch 
the career of the Sixth Regiment with 
interest. 

(Tbe Amhoy ]ounial, 
summer of 1898) 




Capt. Albert T. Tourtillott 

Tourtillotts in Armed Service: 

WAR OF 1812: Lieut. Thomas Tour- 
tillott. 

CIVIL WAR: 3 sons of Thomas Tour- 
tillott, Elisha, Levi, and James. 

SPANISH- AMERICAN WAR: Major 
Albert T. Tourtillott. 

WORLD WAR I: Frank, son of Ma- 
jor Tourtillott, served in Infantry 
m France with Headquarters Com- 
pany in Communications. 

WORLD WAR II: Albert, Frank's 

son, was in Navy and on battleship 

Maryland in Pearl Harbor when 

it was attacked. 

Herbert, Frank's son, was in Coast 

Guard. 
John, Arthur's son, was in Air Corps. 




J. B. Althaux and his prize steer. 
Jumbo, reputed as the itorld's largest 
hereford steer, neighing over 3000 
pi>unds at the latest calculation — and 
still eating. Has attracted visitors from 
most parts of U. S. A. 



L^ongra tiilaii 



onS on uoii 



r tooth ..^nniuerSaru L^elebratic 



your 



INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER 



DEALERS 



W. G. LEFFELMAN AND SONS 



Phone 54 



Amboy, Illinois 




Railroad bridge washout north of 
Sublette. August 13, 1911 



A roaring '20's event — Ruth Easter. 
Laura Letl, Gib Easter, Paul Letl, and 
Frank Letl. Jr., going on a picnic to 
Jr/iite Rock near Grand Detour 




Charter members of and still active 
on the Sublette Fire Department: 
LeroY Lorering. Geo, Faessen, L, P, 
Burkardt, Leonard Vaessen, and Walter 
F. Erbes. Note the blend from the old 
to the new — ■ from the old and original 
hose and cart to the new and present 
truck of the Village Fire Department 



78 



^^^utoarctpkd ctncl VvU 



^arctpi 



emod: 




hale Koehler. hot,- HulffT. innii IHiifi)'^. (,ert Hili'hr. I\itt. I. 
left is Sr^ .)/. Emmanuel^ O, S. F,, and the one on the ri^lit is 
for one half day in German and the other half in English 



On September 19, 1890. this picture 
uas snapped in front of the old frame 
Catholic school building. From left to 
right the pupils are: BACK ROW : Wil- 
liam Koehler, Adam Bischke, Andrew 
Mueller. Cornelius Hinges. Andrew 
Mueller. Martin Mueller. Michel Lauer, 
Father Bernard Schuette. I\ell Lahey, 
Rose Reis. Mathilda Theiss. Julia Hild- 
mann. Anna Doran. Mary Haub. 
MinnLE ROW : Jim Lahey. George 
lUnges. Joe Schmaul, Gejrge Mueller, 
John Bulfer. John Lahey. Joe Kuehna, 
Joe Kellen. May me Brucker. Lena 
Stephenitch. Emma Hildmann. Katie 
Brucker, Rose Doran. Emma Schmaul, 
FROI\T ROW: Fred Hinges. Otto 
Malach. August Bulfer. Andrew Bulfer, 
Bill Oberhelman, Fred Burkardt. Peter 
Hinges. George Lauer, Irma Lauer, 
I iiiii liurkardt, Mamie Clausen, The Sister on the 
M, Lrsula, O, S, F, In those days school was conducted 



This happy little lad standing on the east side of his 
father's store is seven-year old Leroy Stephenitch. As 
the viewer looks south on Front Street he should take 
notice of the old Hotel and the Livery Stable on the 
right. Can you identify the building on the left and tell 
who its occupant was at that time? 




79 



of 
Uj ester at 



^ 



TABI.E »Ot 

waboy BaetiM. ^ II.I,IiroiS CEHTSAL bail SOAD. Horth 'K'TMah. 

BETt'EEN A.M1!.)Y AXP M'.U^ELLA. i 



'% 'Mi^i.p.^-; 



; KT . u*. ,-..;. «4., ho-f !••«.. .^ .=!-.. . „. 



-■; %asaJ! 




^f icork on their specialties. Model-A 
and Model-T Fords, are Fritz Auchstet- 
ter. an unidentified man. and Jack 
iuchstetter. in their Central Garage 



Inside the Craiiford Grocery Store 
(noic the postoffice) tvere Pearl Biddle. 
behind counter; Hilda Bansau icith 
doll; Irring Craiiford. and Henry 
Bansau 




Congratulations to 
* Sublette, Illinois 
on your 100th Anniversary 

H. D. CONKEY & COMPANY 

And Affiliate Companies 
Mendota, Illinois 



SUBLETTE CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE 

Sponsored by the Sublette Lions' Club 

General Chairman: Leonard J. Vaessen 

Secretar) : W. Ralph Long 

Treasurer: Harry Bishop 

Souvenir Booklet: Rev. Anthony J. Becker and Donald J. Dinges 

Kids' Parade: William Florschuetz 

Big Parade: The 'Village Board 

Ball Games: Lester Politsch 

Amusements: Howard Sutton 

Publicity: Francis J. Morrissey and Byron Thier 

Pageant: HANNORAMA: Modern Matrons and Rev. Anthony J. Becker 

Food and Refreshments: Leonard Henkel and L. M. Dinges 

Bonnets: The Lee County Home Economics Extension Program 

Souvenirs: Jack Rapp and Archie Clark, Jr. 

Antiques: Leo Burkardt and Charles B. Hatch 

Grounds Police: The Sublette Volunteer Fire Department 

Testimonial Dinner: The Rev. Edward J. Lehman, the Rev. Alvin H. Smith, 
and Leonard J. Vaessen 



81 



^ublett 
of 



f 







I I 





i 




. I 


X. 


'■^ 's; V ■ 


i" 



depot 



ISorth through the heart of the Village betueen the elevator and the new 




As the men of the Sublette Volunteer Fire Department looked on an April 
morning in 1957. From left to right they are: Otto Kretschmer, Robert Full. Wil- 
liam Boyle, Bruce Bonnell, Arthur Shanyfelt. Gilbert Kellen. James Dinges. 
Raymond Lauer. Francis Morrissey, Raymond Dinges. Leo Burkardt. Lester Full, 
Leonard Vaessen, Chief. Leroy Lowering. Cletus Henkel. fl'aller Erbes. Hotrard 
Sutton, Don Dinges, Harold Bonnell. George Vaessen, Lester Dinges, Jack Rapp, 
Vernon Bonnell, Clark Angier, and Byron Thier 



^•iJKS 




An almost isolated Main Street caught the Photographer's eye on a recent 
Sunday morn 

82 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

The Wayside Press 

The Mendota Reporter 

The Amhoy Neii'S 

The Dixon Evening Telegraph 

The Reverend Edward J. Lehman 

The Reverend Alvin H. Smith 

The Advertisers 

Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Dinges 

Mr. and Mrs. Francis Morrissey 

Mr. Norman Faubie (Photography) 

Mr. Leonard J. Vaessen 

Mr. W. Ralph Long 

Mrs. Irvin Rapp 

Misses Grace, Mabel, and Cora Vincent 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Hatch 

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mossholder 

Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Levering 

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bansau and Hilda 

Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Helbig 

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Florschuetz 

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Brucker 

Mrs. Catherine Burkardt 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Oester 

Miss Lina Clarke 

Mr. Glen Purdy 

Miss Anna K. Erbes 

Mrs. Leo Gordon 

Mr. and Mrs. Cletus Henkel 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Koehler 

Mr. Charles Kuebel 

Mr. and Mrs. Amor Lauer 

Mrs. Max Letl and Boots 

Mrs. Mary Weeks 

Mrs. Velma Carr 

Mrs. Rueben Roehm 

Mrs. Oscar Dancey 

Mrs. Nettie Musser 

Mrs. Richards 

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Dinges 

Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Stephenitch 

Mrs. L. M. Dinges 

Miss Ruth Easter 

Mis. Geo. Henrich, Jr. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Dinges 

Mr. Fred Dinges 

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Stephenitch 

— and to each and every one else who 
may have in any way contributed material 
for this souvenir booklet. 

Fr. Anthony J. Becker 



F. S. PETROLEUM PRODUCTS 

F. S. PLANT FOOD 
F. S. FEED 





1^ 



il 





LEE COUNTY SERVICE COMPANY 




The present Farmers State Bank of Sublette was or- 
ganized Dec. 31, 1920, through the purchase of the as- 
sets of the Exchange Bank of Sublette, thereby hav- 
ing furnished a banking service for this community 
since Jan. 1, 1900. Four of the seven original directors 
are living and active, two of them still stockholders. 
Of seventeen original stockholders who owned 165 
shares of stock, and who are living today, thirteen 
of them still own 149 shares. 

Our own first expansion came in 1933 when bullet 
proof glass was installed in front of the tellers' win- 
dows. Again in 1941 a basement was excavated and 
a storage vault completed therein and on the first 
floor a new fireproof vault installed. In 1947 addi- 
tional rooms were built on, making room for a pri- 



vate office and consultation room. New types of ma- 
chines have been added to modernize our operations 
and reduce hand labor. Surplus, undivided profits 
and reserves accounts have been increased mate- 
rially. 

Our directors have been associated with community 
progress for many years and have provided a con- 
servatively operated bank capable of caring for the 
needs of the surrounding territory. 

The bank has always been active in community ac- 
tivities, helping to finance business expansions and 
provide funds to help make the Sublette territory a 
prosperous farming community. We invite you to use 
our complete banking facilities. 



FARMERS STATE BANK - SUBLETTE, ILLINOIS 



Member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation